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THE  ANTI-CHRIST 


That  Man  of  Sin the  Son  of  perdition.^  ^ 


By 
RICHARD   HAYES  McCARTNEY. 

Author   of  "The  Whip   of  God,"       "The   Imperial," 
"Songs  in  the  Waiting,"     "That  Jew," 
"  The  Lady  of  Nations, "  etc. 


, »  '   •'  J » 


NEW  YORK 
CHARLES  C.  COOK 

150  NASSAU  ST. 


-     •     • 


•    •     *  4      "• 


TO 

THOMAS  JOSEPH  McCARTNEY 

Brother,  of  Soul  and  Flesh — that  men  call  Dead, 
Hozv  sweet  to  me  the  inspired  words  that  said: 
"Sleeping  in  Jesus/'    Ah,  sweet  Rest  indeed — 
Of  all  life's  fretting  troubles  Thou  art  freed. 
And  art  awaiting  that  sweet  Coming  Day 
When  Thou,  A  Risen  Saint,  shall  come  in  grand  array 
That  singing  round  about  The  King  shall  stand. 
To  make  this  Earth  indeed  a  Holy  Land. 

O  Brother,  of  my  youth — now  with  the  Blessed  Dead — 
/  never  saw  the  spot  where  rests  Thy  silent  head, 
But  I  know  well  Christ  hath  it  in  His  care — 
The  Bodies  of  His  Saints  are  precious  everyzvhere. 

Men  called  Thee  failure — but,  purblind  they  are, 
'Tzvere  like  as  one  saw  setting  of  a  star 
And  cried  out,  "Lo,  the  Light  is  vanished  ever  more!" 
Not  he'eding  The  Withdrawer  can  restore. 

Christ  heard  Thy  singing — and,  perchance,  amiss. 
Therefore  withdrew  Thee  from  a  World  like  this 
To  be  His  Singer  in  The  Age  to  Come; 
Therefore,  in  this  Age  all  Thy  hopes  lie  dumb, 
(Dead  nightingale  who  sang  forgotten  note.) 
And  like  dead  ashes  all  the  songs  You  wrote. 

Christ  wanted  singers,  and  He  wanted  You 

Therefore  Thy  lips  in  singing  should  be  true 

To  Him,  and  to  His  cause — Thine  earthly  rhyme. 

Would  only  last  the  passing  of  this  Time — 

And  so  He  called  Thee  e'er  past  manhood's  prime — 

To  keep  Thy  lips  for  lofty  themes  sublime — 

To  keep  Thy  singing  a  most  Holy  Thing 

Forever  linked  with  praise  of  Christ  Our  King. 

3 


^9?13/ 


4'''  '  •  '.   <THF  i>M.T'l-CHRIST 

But  in  Christ's  Age  to  come,  a  sweeter  note — 
Shall  spring  from  heart  and  lips — and  Thou  shalt  be 
Clad  zvith  the  Robes  of  Gracious  Poetry, 
So  singing  in  the  Newer,  Better  Age, 
Thy  grand  songs  written  on  a  vellum  page 
That  shall  not  know  decay — but  Happy  Men 
Shall  cry  with  Joy:  "  O  Singer,  sing  again!" 

So  sleep,  my  Brother:  Lo,  yet  hand  in  hand 

We  shall  go  wandering  o'er  Earth's  Happy  Land — 

So  carolling  together,  adding  to  Christ's  Praise, 

Together  singing  through  Eternal  Days. 

My  heart  is  longing — oh,  to  stray  together 

In  noon  time  splendor  of  Spring — Summer  zveather, 

Or  when  the  Winter  ice  o'er  hill  hugged  lake 

Like  happy  children  we  shall  glide  and  skate, 

No  season  bind  us — for  our  straying  feet 

Shall  range  the  plain,  the  mountain  crags  of  sleet, 

By  River  broad,  by  shaded  murmuring  stream. 

Shall  sail  o'er  seas  where  island's  jezvels  gleam 

In  luscious  beauty  of  both  fruit  and  flower; 

Lo,  then  a  year  in  straying  like  an  hour, 

To  go  with  fancy,  and  zvhere  fancy  leads. 

And  everywhere  a  plenty  for  all  needs. 

Nor  fretted  by  one  care  for  anything — 

For  The  Provider,  Christ,  Our  Blessed  King, 

Scatters  His  Blessings  with  such  liberal  hands; 

There  are  no  bleak  and  famine  stricken  lands, 

But  fruit  and  drink  for  each  respective  place. 

Wealth  idigenous  to  each  spot  and  space. 

So  that  no  matter  where  go  wandering  feet, 

Lo,  place  of  rest  and  gracious  food  to  eat. 

No  parting,  sorrozv,  sickness,  nor  unrest, 

Through  all  the  Golden  ^ons  shall  be  blest — 

And  never  ending  through  the  golden  days 

Our  Hearts  and  Lips  be  singing  to  Christ's  praise. 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

'That  Man  of  Sin  ,   .   .  the  Son  of  Perdition" 

Come  out  of  the  Shadows !  The  Word  hath  revealed 
Thy  Glory,  Thy  Madness,  Thine  Age,  and  Thy  Field, 
The  Prophets  foretold  of  Thee  ages  ago 
Thy  Grandeur,  Thy  Meanness,  Thy  IMightandThyWoe. 
Bird  of  Prey !  Come  forth  on  Tornado's  black  Wings 
To  rend  all  The  Peoples,  The  Nations,  The  Kings. 
Base  Man  1  that  The  Devil  shall  use  as  his  own- 
Give  Thee  as  Thy  Kingdom— the   Earth's   Greatest 

Throne — 
Chaldean,  and  Persian,  the  Grecian,  the  Roman, 
Such  Rule  heretofore  has  been  given  to  no  man. 
Thou  Absolute !    Every  Life  in  Thy  hand, 
Aye,  Rights  of  God's  Homage  in  Old  Roman  Land, 
The  Riches  all  men  have  be  given  to  Thy  use 
To  scatter  as  Thou  wilt  for  ill  and  abuse. 

Thou  hast  stalked  through  the  Dreams  of  Prophets 

and  Sages, 
Thy  lineaments  known  in  the  Earliest  ages : 
Thou  art  limned  with  the  pencil  Christ  only  could  wield 
(And  e'er  Thou  art  born— Thy  Fate  has  been  sealed.) 
Vile  Ghoul  of  The  Human !  at  Satan's  command 
Thou  from  God  art  accursed— and  from  Christ  art 

bann'd. 
Thy  terrible  Life  Tale  is  ghastly  to  know 
Thou  Child  of  The  Devil,  so  direful  Thy  Woe 
Unending,  forever.     Lo,  shattered  Thy  Path 
When  Christ  in  his  Regal  and  Terrible  Wrath 

5 


b  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

By  the  Word  of  his  lips  shall  blast  all  Thy  power. 
Lo  Satan,  and  Thou,  shall  be  crushed  in  one  hour — 
Then  Thou  to  The  Bottomless  Pit  shalt  be  driven — 
Lo,  through  aeons  of  Ages  be  never  forgiven ! 

What  place  shall  see  the  waking  of  his  years — 
Shall  Adriatic  murmur  in  his  ears 
The  splendid  glory  of  the  tideless  sea, 
Isles  of  Romance  and  earliest  poetry: 
Where  in  the  Early  dawning  of  the  Race 
Out  of  its  waters  sharp  Phoenician's  face 
Breasted  the  unknown  oceans  in  the  chase 
Of  gain  and  wild  adventure — open  space 
Where  unknown  continents  swam  to  their  ken. 
Trading  and  plundering  for  English  tin? 
Some  where  in  Syria  will  he  open  eyes, 
Perchance,  where  Tyra  to  the  cloudless  skies 
In  ancient  time  sent  smoke  of  sacrifice. 
And  not  of  beast,  nor  fruit  of  tree,  nor  spice, 
But  Human  flesh  to  Moloch's  fiery  arms — 
Children  and  Maidens  fair  of  rare,  sweet  charms — 
'Twere  surely  fit  in  such  accursed  place 
To  have  one  born — The  Scourge  of  Human  Race? 
A  future  bold  Adventurer  to  dare 
High  Heaven  in  Daring — and  with  Satan  share 
Grim  Honors  of  a  Blasphemy  so  bare 
There  shall  not  be  the  like  of  it  elsewhere — 
So  open,  so  defiant  and  so  base. 
As  ne'er  before  dreamed  by  the  human  Race. 
Lo,  he  to  sail  upon  an  unknown  sea 
Of  ne'er  to  be  forgiven  Blasphemy, 
Lurid — more  scorching  than  Sirocco  breath, 
To  those  it  toucheth  'tis  Eternal  Death ! 
For  he  will  even  Lucifer  appall — 
Even  of  basest  demons — none  of  all 
Shall  touch  his  Blasphemy — fore  front  to  stand 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

Most  daring  Rebel  on  both  Sea  and  Land 
That  ever  moutheth  to  High  Heaven  its  hiss- 
Full  worthy  of  The  Bottomless  Abyss ! 

Do  The  Scriptures  hint  of  a  base  born  birth 
Where  of  marriage  ties  there  were  surely  dearth— 
A  Love  Child— this  we  can  only  surmise. 
But  surely  most  fair  to  the  gazer's  eyes, 
A  God  like  figure  of  the  Grecian  art 
Both  to  charm  the  eye  and  to  hold  the  heart ; 
Perchance,  from  his  cradle  his  intellect 
Commanded  of  wonder — and  soon  respect— 
For  his  feet  seemed  set  on  a  royal  way 
That  won  to  him  knowledge  day  by  day — 
For  Talent  soon  blossomed,  and  Genius  shone— 
His  teachers  out  distanced,  his  feet  alone 
Trod  upward  and  onward  with  blazing  trail 
With  never  a  halting.     He  did  not  fail 
To  peer  in  dark  depths— and  grim  heights  assail, 
'Til  Learning's  High  Battlements  surely  won— 
Earth's  knowledge  his— with  his  face  to  the  Sun- 
To  pluck  at  the  secret  of  heavenly  things, 
His  Intellect  peering  with  sweeping  wings 
To  look  in  the  heart  of  the  Infinite — 
And  say  to  all  mystery :  Let  there  be  Light ! 

Perfect  in  manner  and  perfect  in  face. 
While  his  simplest  words  had  a  polished  grace- 
To  the  Wise  profound — to  the  simple  plain — 
His  words  were  refreshing  Hke  April  rain 
As  it  gently  falls  on  the  parched  plain; 
Lo,  his  words  would  ever  a  hearing  gain, 
An  Orator — ever  at  his  command 
The  Elegant  periods  polished  and  grand. 
Like  a  sweep  of  visions  that  from  his  tongue — 
As  the  chimes  of  musical  bells  had  rung. 


8  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

Poet !  What  measures  flow  from  his  lips — 
Twas  Homer — Shakespeare — a  world  EcHpse! 
So  subtle,  so  sweet,  so  grand,  so  deep. 
The  music  of  all  things  in  his  sweep ; 
And  love  songs  tender,  so  low,  so  rare, 
Apollo  indeed  himself  stood  there — 
For  who  so  skilled  in  musical  note, 
Such  melodies  no  man  yet  had  wrote, 
Comedy — Tragedy — all  would  come — 
So  a  World  in  very  rapture  dumb ! 

And  then  of  the  Sciences,  who  may  tell 
Of  his  wizard  power,  of  his  magic  spell. 
For  he  told  the  message  that  Nature  spun 
In  her  rocks,  her  seas,  in  the  far  off  sun ; 
He  wresting  the  secrets  by  Ages  hid, 
He  lifting  as  'twere  the  grim  coffin  lid 
Of  unthinkable  Ages  past  and  dead  ; 
He  into  the  light  each  skeleton  led, 
He  clothed  the  Past  as  with  flesh  and  blood. 
Until  every  mystery  understood 
Of  the  making  of  Worlds — their  crash — their  break- 
For  he  made  each  strata  of  rock  to  speak. 
Relate  of  its  nature,  its  birth,  its  death. 
Of  the  wonderful  creatures  which  drew  breath; 
Of  Ages  successive — that  followed  slow, 
The  rise  and  the  fall — the  ebb  and  the  flow, 
The  morning,  the  noon,  and  the  stealthy  night 
That  covered  each  ^on  from  Angel's  sight. 
The  vaporish,  birth — the  gaseous  whirl — 
The  dropping  of  moisture — the  sea's  mad  swirl — 
The  cooling,  the  breaking  of  heights  and  plain — 
Nay — no  single  process  hid  from  his  brain. 
For  Men  he  created  the  World  again — 
Fossil  and  Fish — and  grim  monsters  which  strove- 
Each  to  his  hand  as  slid  in  their  grove 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

Analyzed,  classified,  made  clear  to  man, 
So  that  very  humblest  of  brains  could  scan 
Each  Evolution  of  Perfecting  Plan. 

And  then  as  to  secrets  of  Earth  and  air — 
The  subtler  Forces  that  everywhere 
Like  Giants  waiting  to  feel  master  hand, 
He  girded  and  harness'd  to  his  command ; 
Giants  of  Power  that  for  Ages  had  played 
Idle  and  wanton,  that  so  often  made 
Mankind  afraid  of  their  power  and  their  strength, 
Now  at  his  bidding,  and  to  his  intent. 
Docile  and  servile,  and  easy  to  sway, 
With  never  a  mumur,  at  night  and  day 
They  evermore  trod  in  limited  way — 
And  laughed  as  his  tasks  were  only  a  play. 

But  the  tongue  must  fail  of  his  worth  to  tell — 
He  made  the  Impossible — Possible! 
He  stood  for  all  manhood — The  Golden  Prime ! 
Lo,  had  evolved  in  the  rushing  of  Time 
A  Man  of  Perfection  in  each  detail 
(Most  wonderful  product  of  monkey  tail.) 
Lo,  Manhood  had  blossomed  in  Golden  Flower, 
Perfect  in  knowledge  and  subtle  in  power, 
A  man  indeed  of  Flesh,  blood  and  bone 
And  if  such  thing  as  a  Christly  throne 
Then  surely  this  man  could  well  occupy ; 
For  serenely  pleasing  to  human  eye — 
Perfection  of  Intellect,  heart  and  brain 
An  Earth-Christ  indeed  well  fitted  to  reign! 

Now  what  fitting  work  in  this  World  to  do 
That  would  stamp  the  Present  to  Human  view, 
A  task  full  worthy  of  his  vast  Powers? 


10  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

Still  on  the  Eastern  horizon  lowers 
Question  that  baffled  for  many  an  age 
Emperors — Kings — no  earth  brain  can  assuage: 
Lo,  The  Eastern  Question  still  stood  out 
Abating  of  breath  to  the  Statesman's  mouth, 
Fcr  a  spark,  a  word — and  the  world  ablaze ! 
And  ever  the  Orient's  subtle  ways 
Could  neither  be  fathomed  nor  understood ; 
And  swarming  forever  a  multitude 
That  hated  the  sight  of  the  white  man's  face — 
For  he,  despising  each  Orient  Race, 
Was  all  domineering  and  rough  of  hand — 
Conquering  and  parceling  sea  and  land 
As  he  were  the  God  of  The  Earth  alone ! 
Now  for  centuries  held  in  awe  and  check 
By  red  soldier's  bullet,  and  sea  monster's  deck — 
So  sharp  and  decisive  each  conquest  made 
The  heart  of  the  Orient  bent  afraid — 
And  so  let  white  hand  and  quick  brain  command 
The  millions  who  cowed  to  the  mail  clad  hand. 

But  Science  whispered  to  Orient  brain 
And  the  Wily  Japs  had  not  heard  in  vain — 
Lo,  millions  awoke  with  a  start  to  find 
That  only  a  will-o'-the-wisp  confined 
Their  own  mighty  forces — if  they  arose 
Like  a  thistle  down  then  the  white  faced  foes. 
So  Europe  awoke  with  a  sudden  shock — 
Afraid  that  the  Orient  soon  would  knock 
At  the  Gates  of  Europe  and  enter  in 
Like  a  locust  pest.    These  little  brown  men 
Whom  they  ruled  with  contempt  and  proud  disdain, 
Whom  they  slaughtered  and  butchered  for  golden  gain, 
Debauched  with  their  opium,  their  beer,  and  gin. 
Aye,  Debauched  their  women,  and  held  their  men 
As  the  very  dust  clods  beneath  their  feet ! 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST  II 

But  the  little  Brown  men  at  last  were  fleet- 
Learned  of  their  masters— Civilization ! 
that  bit  like  a  fire  in  every  nation. 
A  civilization  that  shod  the  feet 
As  with  iron  hoof— and  with  bristhng  teeth— 
Of  armed  swift  ranks  all  begirt  with  steel— 
With  sea  roaming  monsters  grim  death  to  deal— 
A  Civihzation  that  yet  will  bring  ^ 

To  Europe— of  Fire— Sword  and  Suftermg! 

So  Europe  cried  out  for  a  buffer  state- 
To  stand  between  them  and  Orient  Hate. 

His  eagle  eye  had  beheld  the  chance, 
To  Check  the  Orient's  wild  advance. 
The  Valley  of  the  Euphrates  lay, 
Prize  worth  the  winning  in  battle  fray — 
The  Richest  Country  beneath  the  Sun — 
He  would  build  the  City  of  Babylon! 

So  Europe  went  mad  at  the  vast  design— 
The  thought  to  the  head  like  a  fiery  wme, 
Came  the  yellow  gold  as  in  one  vast  stream— 
Ah,  soon  it  was  more  than  poet's  dream- 
So  out  of  the  sun  dried  brick  and  shme, 
There  rose  a  better  than  ancient  tirne, 
A  City  that  blossomed  in  Golden  Prime ! 

Go  shake  from  thy  bare  limbs  the  graveyard's  dust, 
Go  comb  from  thy  locks  the  sand  and  the  rust, 
Then  like  Beautiful,  Deadly  Flower  to  burst 
Shedding  fell  essence  to  make  Earth  accursed! 
Come  out— spring  up  from  marsh  and  brick  and  slime, 
From  Graveyard  of  wickedness  sin  and  crime 
To  blossom— Fairest  City  of  all  Time ! 
'Tis  Lucifer  that  calls  thee  from  thy  bed 


12  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

Long  on  thy  beauty  ghouls  and  worms  have  fed — 

A  stench  in  all  men's  nostrils  were  thy  dead, 

As  creatures  foul  that  were  uncoffined. 

The  Richest  granary  of  Earth  laid  waste, 

The  bravest  Arab  ever  made  wild  haste 

From   spot   where   Bel's   ten  thousand   Priests   once 

prayed. 
The  Richest  granary — but  men  afraid 
To  till,  or  sow,  or  reap  three  hundred  yield ; 
Lo,  nettles  and  the  scorpion's  brood  in  field 
Where  once  grew  all  the  fruits  the  earth  brought  forth. 
For  centuries  a  place  where  wild  beast  sport 
All  undisturbed  by  the  grim  hunter  man, 
A  spot  where  on  The  High  Gods  put  a  ban. 
Made  desolations  e'en  in  summer  time, 
With  swamps  of  stagnant  water  and  grim  slime — 
'Til,  tho'  men  knew  it  was  a  fruitful  place. 
And  four  fold  reapings  blest  a  little  toil. 
Yet  still  afraid  of  such  accursed  soil, 
To  barren  stretches  turned  more  happy  face. 
But  Lucifer  is  calling — have  no  fear — 
He  hath  been  whispering  to  Western  ear 
The  Gain  that  hideth  in  thy  rich,  moist  soil, 
And  promiseth,  that  for  a  little  toil 
There  is  a  Great  abundance  and  a  spoil — 
Past  comprehension  in  corn,  wine,  and  oil. — 

'Tis  Lucifer  is  calling — not  amiss — 
Upon  thy  body  he  shall  plant  a  kiss 
Of  Grand  Revival. — Thou  slialt  surely  rise 
Beneath  the  blue  and  pearl  of  thy  skies, 
A  City  most  magnificent  to  see, — 
And  all  Earth's  great  ones  surely  come  to  Thee. 
For  Lucifer  still  loves  thee  as  of  old 
And  never  yet  has  his  grim  love  grown  cold ; 
He  loved  thee  in  thy  passionate  wild  youth, 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  1 3 

For  thou  a  Rebel  to  God's  blessed  Truth 
Hung  from  thy  battlements  the  flag  of  Hate— 
Aye  flung  defiance  in  the  God-head's  face. 
Forgetful  of  The  Flood  that  sweep  the  Race 
Like  flies  from  off  the  earth  in  little  space- 
Full  knowledge  of  God's  Wrath  did  not  abate 
High  Handed  wickedness,  that  set  afire 
By  foul  Idolatry  the  wild  desire 
Of  guilty  passion— 'til  the  slime  of  sm 
Covered  the- children,  women,  and  the  men, 
Until  Hcentiousness  had  reared  a  brood 
Who  could  not  see  in  virtue  any  good : 
So  surely  Satan  loveth  Thee  and  Thme 
For  ever  foe  to  anything  Divine. 
Oft  hath  he  striven  to  rouse  thee  from  disgrace, 
In  Alexander's,  and  Napoleon's  face. 
He  dreamed  he  saw  the  shaping  of  his  ends- 
He  fain  had  made  them  renovating  winds 
To  sweep  miasmas  and  foul  stench  away, 
And  make  thee  blossom  in  a  regal  sway ; 
To  wake  the  sleeping  ruins  of  each  Court 
Where  now  the  Scorpions,  the  hyenas  sport ; 
The  chambers  once  so  beautiful  to  see 
So  stately  in  their  carved  imagery, 
Where  beauty  wed  to  lust  held  open  arms 
To  wrap  its  worshipper  in  subtle  charms 
Of  a  Religion  passionate,  intense, 
Which  fed  the  eye,  the  ear,  and  every  sense, 
With  a  debauchery  whose  stench  and  slime 
Men  scent  as  yet  a  down  the  stretch  of  Time. 

City  of  vastnesses,  widely  outspread — 
Surely  England's  London  may  hang  its  head— 
What  are  its  millions  when  compar'd  to  thme — 
The  Darling  surely  thou  of  The  Divine! 
Grandest  of  Cities  that  the  human  eyes 


14  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

E'er  saw  'neath  the  blue,  and  the  pearl  of  clear  skies; 

Not  here  of  poverty,  blighting,  nor  ban, 

But  City  as  arranged  by  God  like  plan : 

No  alleys,  vile  mews,  like  festering  sores, 

No  putrid  masses  with  leprous  pores ; 

Broad  streets  which  run  from  a  centering  square 

With  Palm  trees  of  shading,  and  wholesome  air; 

Here  no  sewers  all  foul  with  fetid  breath 

Spawning  with  fever  and  welcoming  death. 

Kept  healthy  and  pure  with  Euphrates'  tide — 

Through  a  thousand  streets  the  sweet  waters  glide 

With  current  all  swift — a  grand  scavenger — 

Filth  with  this  City  may  never  confer; 

Here  no  squalid  houses,  for  none  may  build 

But  on  given  lines  as  The  Prince  had  will'd ; 

And  the  house  pulled  down  as  a  noisome  thing 

Did  it  stray  hand  breadth  from  his  fashioning ; 

And  woe  to  the  builder  if  his  deceit 

Made  not  the  humblest  dwelling  complete, 

As  the  Prince  had  ordained  so  it  must  be 

And  e'en  death  may  follow  contumely; 

So  that  every  street  had  its  own  design 

Unvarying  even  the  long  sky  line — 

No  hovels  abutting  sky  scrapers  tall 

But  the  long  fagade  and  height  of  the  wall 

Ran  as  to  a  level  along  the  street — 

The  artistic  eye  and  the  sense  to  greet. 

For  the  Prince  would  show  to  the  human  Race 

Life  well  worth  the  Living,  and  not  disgrace. 

That  Earth  was  indeed  a  joyous  thing. 

Not  a  burden  of  pain  and  suffering, 

But  all  must  stand"  in  one  vast  Brotherhood 

For  the  common  weal — for  each  creature's  good. 

Lo,  A  Commonwealth — with  one  single  end — 
The  strongest  one  should  the  weakest  defend — 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST  1 5 

So  that  all  men  stand  on  a  common  base — 

Thus  equal  each  dot  of  the  human  race. 

A  conception  grand  which  won  human  heart 

And  each  leaped  up  eager  to  take  his  part. 

The  craftiest  soon  wise  enough  to  see 

That  here  was  no  place  for  dishonesty, 

For  no  graft  could  blossom  in  this  new  land — 

Lo,  this  wise  Prince  ruled  with  an  iron  hand — 

Twas  woe  to  the  thief,  the  fraud,  and  the  cheat ; 

Lo,  the  hands  of  Justice  precise  and  fleet 

And  short  was  the  march  to  electric  chair — 

For  never  a  prison  or  jail  was  here — 

It  was  either  swift  death  or  banishment 

For  wrong  doer — the  rich,  the  poor,  were  sent 

Swiftly  out  on  some  public  work  to  toil, 

So  that  none  had  a  chance  again  to  spoil 

A  brother  within  the  Cities  vast  ways — 

And  surely  this  law  had  the  poorman's  praise — 

And  honor,  and  Glory,  and  grandeur  won 

For  Queen  City  of  Earth — Great  Babylon. 

Lo,  the  City  with  bounds  advanced  in  strength — 
'Twould  seem  that  The  Human  had  one  intent. 
To  build  this  Babylon,  make  her  fair ; 
And  as  she  waxed  great  so  did  all  men  share 
Of  her  riches,  her  pleasures,  her  costly  things. 
So  The  Human  rushed  to  her  sheltering  wings 
To  partake  of  her  splendor,  and  goodly  fare, 
For  each  toiler's  hand  could  her  bounty  share ; 
For  none  in  Babylon  needed  of  bread, 
The  toiler  well  housed,  well  clad  and  well  fed. 
No  crying  for  work — for  the  toiler's  hand 
Found  plenty  of  work  in  the  fruitful  land. 
But  no  tramps,  nor  loafers  may  here  abide 
For  labor  to  all  men  was  soon  supplied; 
And  shirkers  of  work  soon  found  'twas  in  vain 


l6  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

In  Babylon's  beehive  long  to  remain. 

For  the  willing  hand  and  the  willing  brain 

There  was  ever  an  ample  boon  to  gain ; 

Ah,  the  City  indeed  in  every  wise 

To  the  poor  man  surely  a  paradise. 

At  last  on  the  earth  the  poor  man  had  found 

That  Brotherhood  was  no  mere  empty  sound- 

For  glad  was  the  heart  that  eye  could  see 

That  here  was  the  purest  Democracy ! 

For  every  comfort  the  human  may  crave 
The  Great  Heart  of  Babylon  freely  gave, 
For  music,  and  art,  and  the  rarest  things 
Were  free  to  the  poor  as  well  as  to  Kings, 
Paid  actors  and  singers  from  public  purse — 
No  best  for  the  rich  nor  for  poorer  worse — 
But  Theaters  open  and  free  to  all. 
No  cheap,  nor  tawdry,  nor  rough  music  hall, 
But  buildings  magnificent,  stately,  grand. 
The  rarest  from  artist  and  sculptor's  hand ; 
Where  the  public  came  at  its  own  accord — 
The  Artisan  welcome,  as  well  as  Lord, 
And  the  Lady's  maid  could  with  mistress  hear 
The  songs  of  the  Greatest  of  Artist  here; 
'Twas  beggar  and  King  together  sat  down 
Enjoying  actors  of  highest  renown. 
Here  was  no  homespun  nor  shabby  of  dress. 
No  foul,  ragged  garment — flag  of  distress — 
For  the  wages  given  to  artisan's  hand 
Were  ample  the  richest  dress  to  command — 
The  Law  imperative,  none  dare  transgress 
Of  cleanly  appearance  suitable  dress 
At  public  places  the  law  was  severe. 
Censors  of  Public  watched  all  who  appear — 
To  taste  and  refinement  a  homage  tend 
Naught  the  most  delicate  taste  to  offend. 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST  17 

A  welcoming  home  for  handy  of  craft 
But  never  a  place  for  brain  of  graft ; 
A  welcoming  home  for  the  man  of, toil 
But  never  a  place  for  thievish  spoil ; 
For  Death,  and  Dishonor,  were  quickly  won 
For  the  Lazy  and  thieving  in  Babylon. 
No  anarchist  here  in  any  guise — 
For  woe  to  the  mind  that  would  criticise 
The  Laws  of  City  in  any  line 
More  sacred  were  they  than  the  Laws  Divine. 
Newspaper  quibble  or  scurrilous  sheet, 
W^ould  here  but  a  minimum  of  warning  meet, 
A  warning  once  given,  cast  lightly  aside, 
Came  the  vengeance  quick — ''Lo,  the  world  is  wide — 
//  things  not  suitable,  then  take  your  way, 
But  in  Babylon  never  an  instant  stay!" 
So  here  was  no  quibble  for  Law  suspense. 
No  glib  of  tongue  Lawyer  to  make  defense — 
The  Breaker  of  Law — stood  defenseless,  mute: 
'We  never  invited  you  here  in  sooth. 
The  Imperative  Lazv  you  must  obey, 
No  Breaker  of  Law  shall  in  Babylon  stay!" 
The  Laws  were  simple — so  commonly  plain — 
That  Lawyers  never  could  quibble  or  strain, 
So  for  them  little  hope  of  speedy  gain. 
It  simplified  things  in  wondrous  way 
No  murmuring  now  of  the  Law's  delay, 
And  the  path  of  Justice  was  none  too  long, 
Nor  planted  with  flowers  for  doers  of  wrong. 
And  sentimentality  dare  not  bring 
Its  smiles,  and  its  flowers,  and  worshipping, 
Transgressors  of  Law  were  no  heroes  here — 
The  Public  of  Law  had  a  holy  fear. 

And  this  made  the  Prince  more  popular  still — 
And  the  Peoples  bowed  to  his  Princely  will — ■ 


l8  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

For  the  breakers  of  Law  stand  wide  apart — 

In  the  social  scale — but  the  same  bad  heart — 

The  Richest  transgress  in  imperial  way 

With  a  sense  that  none  should  dispute  their  sway ; 

And  the  very  poorest  to  feed  their  vice 

Are  never  in  words,  and  in  actions  nice, 

So  the  highest  and  lowest  are  mostly  found 

Transgressor  of  Law.    On  the  middle  ground 

Are  people  who  fain  would  obey  the  Law — 

They  seek  the  maintainance  and  not  the  flaw — 

In  Equity's  presence  would  they  abide, 

The  such  did  in  Babylon's  Prince  confide, 

All  believing  he  sought  the  one  sole  end, 

To  simple  Justice  an  unswerving  friend : 

Most  surely  the  fruits  from  their  toil  showed  forth 

They  were  not  victims  of  Tyrant  sport — 

But  Prosperity  blossomed  in  Babylon's  Court. 

Nor  Religious  Bigot  may  here  abide — 
"The  world  is  vast — and  its  spaces  are  wide, 
Go  worship  your  God  where  ever  you  will 
But  in  Babylon's  ways  you  must  keep  still, 
Nor  annoy  your  neighbors  with  any  creed, 
For  this  is  The  City  for  Helpful  Deed ! 
Be  you  Christian,  or  Jew,  or  what  you  may, 
To  Mahomet,  or  Budda,  a  homage  pay — 
Be  it  ever  so  truthful,  or  mass  of  lies 
That  the  silliest  mortal  should  devise, 
Whate'er  its  color,  what  ever  the  rite, 
Be  it  foul  as  hell — or  clear  as  the  light — 
Be  it  immoral — or  most  quaintly  pure — 
Be  cult  of  the  rich,  or  cult  of  the  poor, 
The  Law  careth  not — and  will  take  no  heed 
If  within  closed  walls  you  proclaim  your  creed. 
But  never  to  creed,  nor  to  any  rite. 
Shall  you  to  win  of  a  proselyte — 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST  IQ 

For  Banishment  surely  to  fret  a  friend 

And  if  persistence — then  quick  death  may  end !" 

So  Religions  flourished  as  blades  of  grass — 
A  House  for  the  Joss,  a  House  for  The  Mass, 
Aye,  places  of  worship  for  every  creed 
That  did  from  God,  or  The  Devil  proceed. 
Yet  quietness  reigned  supreme  and  complete 
With  never  a  conflict  in  any  street, 
To  grieve  a  neighbor  by  act  or  word 
In  praise  of  Devil,  or  praise  of  The  Lord — 
Thus  Neology  surely  its  ends  had  won 
A  Blossoming  Garden  in  Babylon. 

Christ  had  kept  silent  two  thousand  years — 
So  men  hailed  His  second  coming  with  sneers ; 
Soon  from  the  churches  a  venomous  hiss 
Voiced  demons,  who  came  from  the  deep  abyss 
Croaking  in  houses  of  learning  where 
Young  Students  learned  of  The  Christ  to  despair- 
As  to  man's  redemption  by  Christ's  shed  blood 
A  Horrible  Doctrine — misunderstood 
By  The  Apostles.    The  Christ  but  a  man 
Most  Glorious  and  Wonderful  Mind  to  scan, 
Yet  still  but  a  mortal  of  common  birth — 
No  more  a  God  than  the  Sons  of  the  Earth. 
So  slowly  but  surely  the  Error  spread 
From  the  Universities'  blasphemous  head 
To  the  w^eakest  pupil — so  men  went  out 
Preaching  a  Gospel  of  Common  Sense  Doubt — 
TelHng  of  Errors  on  God's  Blessed  Page — 
Of  the  myths  of  the  Patriarchal  age — 
Of  Deceiving  Priests  who  with  skillful  lies 
Cast  mosaic  dust  in  the  Jewish  eyes — 
Robed  in  the  antique  the  lies  newly  born — 
Holding  Ezra  up  to  contempt  and  scorn 


20  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

Passing  his  forgeries  out  as  God's  Truth. 
So  in  their  daring  they  made  Christ  in  sooth 
Either  Deceiver,  or  one  most  Deceived, 
For  Christ  in  Moses  most  surely  BeHeved, 
Called  him  a  witness  and  quoted  his  Words 
As  they  were  truly  the  word  of  The  Lord's  : — 
Then  what  a  dilemma — as  Christ  had  received 
The  base  lies  of  Ezra  then  Christ  was  deceived ! 

Tho'  men  had  sorrowed  and  women  had  wept 
Yet  Christ  still  the  unbroken  silence  kept, 
Tho'  fervent  and  oft'  the  cry,  "Lord,  how  longT 
'Til  His  coming  became  a  jest  of  song. 
"The  Centuries  filled  with  unanswered  prayers 
That  never  ascended  the  golden  stairs, 
But  lost  in  the  rustle  of  angels'  wings, 
And  the  twanging  of  Harpers'  golden  strings T 
So  Atheist  sneered — as  the  days  went  by 
And  never  His  Oriflamme  lit  the  sky — 
Nor  had  He  made  known  by  one  single  thing 
That  He  ever  heard  of  men's  worshipping. 
And  so  slowly  years  past,  age  after  age. 
With  only  the  silent  God's  written  Page 
To  tell  of  His  mercy,  and  love,  and  peace : 
But  He  never  was  seen  by  human  face — 
Like  Baal  of  Eld — was  He  slumbering? 

The  Rash  in  the  church  had  been  numbering 
Of  the  year  of  His  coming — so  at  last 
When  times  they  appointed  had  slowly  past 
And  never  His  voice  nor  His  trumpet  rang, 
Lo,  into  the  heart  of  the  Church  there  sprang 
Keen  men  who  with  devilish  insolence 
Declaring  the  Doctrine  of  Common  Sense ; 
From  the  bosom  of  Church  fell  men  arose 
Who  truly  became  Christ's  deadliest  foes  1 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  21 

For,  alas,  the  Professor's  College  chair 
Became  most  surely  a  vile  scorpion's  lair. 
*'The  Godhead  of  Christ  is  only  a  myth, 
A  ivill-o'-tlie-ii'isp  that  Deception  had  lit!'* 

Preachers  with  insolence,  almost  sublime, 
Demanded  that  Ezra's  forgery  crime 
Should  hold  men's  allegiance — men  should  receive 
A  Book  that  was  written  the  World  to  Deceive — 
These  hars  of  so  called  Biblical  Schools 
Thought  men  of  the  street  were  only  poor  fools — 
Scientific  lying  they  dared  to  declare 
Alone  was  The  Truth — Truth  not  found  elsewhere. 

The  men  of  the  street  with  laughter  and  jeer 
Turned  to  such  pleading  an  atheist  ear, 
A  Common  Sense  view,  to  them  it  was  clear : 
A  document  crowded  with  myths  and  lies 
Was  certainly  such  as  men  should  despise — 
For  who  was  to  judge  wherein  it  told  truth? 
Let  the  ministers  judge — they  were  in  sooth 
Parcel  of  Hypocrites  preaching  for  bread — 
Manhood  too  long  on  deception  was  fed — 
The  Bible,  its  God  and  its  Christ  surely  dead. 
And  so  if  indeed  we  evolved  from  an  ape, 
'Twas  time  that  men  did  from  a  Godhead  escape — 
Be  Freemen  so  scorning  the  lies  of  the  priests 
W^ho  at  our  expense  have  good  dress,  and  good  feast — 
To  the  bats  and  the  owls  their  thraldom  we  cast — 
We  are  free  from  their  God  and  His  Christ  at  last — 
We  are  human,  within  us  strong  appetites — 
Preachers  tell  us  to  curb  with  doctrine  and  rites — 
The  Decalogue — Ezra's  denouncing  of  Sin 
Just  a  priest  trap,  to  catch  fool  poor  men  within ! 

If  context  before  and  behind  are  but  lies — 
Then  surely  the  Decalogue  we  may  despise, 


22  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

Give  free  reign  to  passions  and  never  restrain  ! 
Those  preachers  of  lies  have  been  ever  man's  bane, 
Conceited,  contemptible  Drones  of  the  Race, 
Fit  subjects  to  hold  in  contempt  and  disgrace, 
Deceivers  of  poor  men — too  lazy  to  toil — 
Their  pleadings  for  Goodness  a  venomous  coil 
And  tissue  of  falsehood — 'Do  good  for  good's  sake!' 
Is  a  maxim  whereby  they  fain  would  partake 
The  best  of  the  fruits  of  our  toiling  and  stress — 
They  are  Cheats,  Defrauders — and  are  nothing  less." 

So  Faithless,  and  Creedless,  The  Man  of  the  Street, 
Soon  trampled  all  thought  of  the  Christ  'neath  his  feet, 
Despising,  rejecting  God's  Own  Blessed  Page 
As  myths,  misconceptions  of  earliest  age. 
''Believe  in  a  God!  a  God  who  zvas  dumb. 
That  ne'er  spoke  to  Human — and  never  would  come 
For  their  pleading,  or  praying.    Men  made — cast  aside 
As  work  of  no  moment — nor  did  God  provide 
A  way  of  acquaintance,  nor  caring  to  know 
How  works  of  His  fingers  zvere  faring  below — 
Or  at  best  amused  with  the  puppets  He  made! 
With  listlessness  watched  them  in  misery  wade — 
Their  laughing,  their  crying,  their  striving,  their  dying, 
Their  cheating,  defrauding,  deceitfulness,  lying. 
And  whether  befouled,  or  from  foulness  exempt. 
They  only  from  Him  had  contemptuous  contempt." 

So  thinking,  The  Human,  with  nothing  to  gain 
Of  Godhead — bent  ever  his  heart,  and  his  brain, 
To  feed  on  his  fellows — to'getting  of  gain 
Absorbed  every  fiber  of  being  and  soul, 
For  only  by  getting  was  woii  the  control 
Of  that  which  brought  pleasure — and  pleasure  became 
The  coveted  thing  to  possess — tho'  by  shame 
Could  only  the  cup  of  the  Pleasure  obtained, 


THE  ANtl-CHRlST  ^3 

What  matter  the  price  if  the  goblet  be  drained— 
The  basest  of  animal  passions  were  fed, 
The  highest  and  noblest  instincts  were  dead— 
And  selfishness-self— and  what  self  may  desire 
Were  the  aim,  the  end  of  Hfe's  passion  and  hre. 
Veneering  of  Culture  all  soon  has  scaled  ott— 
It  was  sneer  for  the  good— for  virtue  a  scoff— 
A  rapid  descending  to  depths  of  vile  thought 
'Til  bizarre  Erotic  of  sinning  was  sought. 

So  prey  for  the  Demons,  who  came  from  Abyss 
Befouling  men's  souls,  tho'  they  whispered  of  bhss— 
So  entered  the  Human— and  dwelling  therein 
To  woo  and  to  tempt  men  to  blasphemous  sm: 
So  thus  demon  possessed  were  millions  of  men. 

Ah,  surely  the  ghosts  of  High  Critics  aghast— 
The  seeds  they  diligently  sowed  in  the  past 
Had  borne  a  fruitage  a  stench  to  high  Heaven 
That  never  through  ages  of  ages  forgiven— 
Woe,  woe,  woe  unto  them,  and  woe  evermore, 
Their  forefathers  Cain,  and  Balaam,  and  Lore,       ^ 
For  they  had  been  clouds  without  moisture  ot  ram 
That  wild  wind  had  driven  in  pathway  all  vam 
Trees  bringing  forth  blossoms— but  withered  the  fruits, 
Without  fruit,  twice  dead,  as  plucked  up  by  the  roots; 
Raeing  waves  of  the  sea  with  blackness  and  gloam 
Their  boastings  as  vain  as  the  froth  of  the  foam ; 
Wandering  stars  that  the  Blackness  of  Darkness  for- 

ever 
Shall  wrap  and   enfold— to   whom  light  shall   come 

never. 

And  Europe  now  morose,  a  fretting  sea 
Of  weary,  wan,  eye  bleared  humanity— 
Ah  Europe  sodden  from  the  thankless  toil 


24  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

Filling  War  chests  from  indigent,  thin  soil, 

Grew  sullen  in  their  hopelessness — ah,  grew 

A  questioner  of  God — and  all  things  true. 

So  tired  and  weary  of  a  life's  long  load — 

Fed  with  black  bread — a  hovel  for  abode — 

With  rags  for  covering — no  hope  ahead — 

Began  to  ask :   "Were  it  not  best  be  dead !" 

The  Love  of  Fatherland  died  in  their  soul, 

They  grew  to  hate  their  Kings,  and  state  control. 

War  Chests  had  every  year  a  large  maw. 

So  hedged  around  by  legal,  kingly  law. 

More  careless  of  men's  sufferings  each  year, 

'Til  taxed  black  bread,  the  glass  of  wine,  the  beer. 

With  higher  taxes  than  the  year  before ! 

The  War  Chests  ever  crying,  "More,  still  more, 

To  guard  The  Fatherland,  to  hold  at  bay 

The  mightier  War  Dogs  that  with  neighbors  bay  I" 

Until  the  Fatherland  a  hated  thing 

And  men  more  loud  in  cursing  of  their  King ; 

And  as  from  God  he  claimed  the  right  to  rule, 

And  seeing  that  God's  Priesthood  but  the  tool. 

That  sleek  Catholicism  blessed  the  hand 

That  marred  and  desolated  neighbor's  land. 

And  Protestant  joined  in  the  self  same  cry. 

To  the  Eternal  Majesty  on  high 

To  strengthen  hand  to  take  a  brother's  life — • 

To  strengthen  hand  to  wage  death  dealing  strife — 

And  ever  more  the  Socialist  would  ask : 

If  God  were  such,  to  aid  in  such  a  task — 

Could  men  wish  that  such  God  indeed  extant ! 

Was  not  this  Godhead  but  the  well  paid  rant 

Of  Priest  to  make  them  fear — obey  the  King — 

Then  God  the  cause  of  all  their  suffering. 

And  if  no  God — or  but  a  brutal  God 
Who  ever  loved  to  wield  chastising  rod — 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  ^S 

Away  with  such  a  fellow  from  their  thought! 
Swiftly  and  suddenly  a  change  was  wrought 
In  minds  of  men— the  brute  withni  a^yoke— 
The  laws  of  man,  and  God,  were  qmckly  broke, 
And  Anarchy  in  Europe  won  the  sway. 
The  Kings,  and  all  their  minions  swept  away 
As  in  a  night  I— The  Devil  had  his  aim 
To  gain  in  putting  King  and  Priest  to  shame. 
And  every  Nation  shaken  by  one  thought. 
To  one  fell  End  the  mind  of  human  brought. 
Lo  not  a  church  in  Europe  but  the  flame 
Of' wreck,  and  ruin,  and  destruction  came, 
The  grandest  of  Cathedrals,  whose  high  name 
Linked  to  each  land  as  jewels  of  its  fame, 
Inwoven  in  the  hearts  and  the  desires 
Of  sainted  Mothers  and  of  noble  sires- 
Saw  maddened  Furies  rushing  round  their  walls 
With  blazing  torches-lo,  the  red  flame  crawls 
From  groin-from  rafter  of  the  stately  nave- 
O'er  all  its  beauty  did  the  fierce  flame  lave— 
Making  all  Europe  brilliant  in  one  night. 
And  still  a  quicker  ruin  to  mvite  ^ 
The  vast  explosion  of  the  dynamite, 
While  in  the  blaze  the  Guillotine  stood  out 
To  silence  King,  and  noble,  priestly  mouth. 
The  human,  like  a  beast,  had  tasted  blood 
And  every  City  saw  the  hot,  red  flood 
Flushing  the  sewers— 'til  man  preyed  on  man 
Without  conception,  rule,  or  any  plan 
To  guide  the  Furies  let  loose  by  the  Devil. 
Surely  the  Demons  at  this  hour  had  revel 
That  they  had  hungered  for  six  thousand  years- 
They  wallowed  as  in  blood  and  human  fears- 
Europe  of  place  of  worship  was  bereft. 
Nor  Protestant,  nor  Cathohc  was  lett.^ 
For  without  reason  was  the  human  slam, 


26  The   ANTI-CHRIST 

The  shrieks,  the  groans,  the  agonizing  pain, 

Seemed  music  to  the  demons  tempting  men 

To  blasphemy,  to  murder,  daring  sin 

Undreamed  of  by  the  human  thought  before; 

The  human  learned  a  deeper,  deadlier  lore 

Of  foul  Iniquity — more  direful  hate 

To  blast  the  human — make  earth  desolate. 

Vast  desolation  and  more  daring  crime 

More  brazen  to  high  heaven — than  in  all  time 

Since  man's  beginning.    Governmental  Powers 

Shattered — abolished  in  a  few  short  hours. 

Men  never  had  conceived  they  were  so  base, 

Demon  possession  of  the  human  race 

Filled  them  with  treacherous  and  fearful  hate 

To  their  own  fellows — they  were  not  afraid 

To  slay  the  Mother,  Father,  boy,  and  maid, 

'Til  all  a  weary  of  the  slaying  stood — 

Brutes  soaked  and  dripping  with  the  human  blood. 

And  then — of  sudden  came  awakening  hour — 
And  men  called  out  for  Governmental  Power — 
Some  mighty  hand  to  stay  this  feast  of  blood — 
And  straightway  in  the  eyes  of  Europe  stood 
The  One  Sole  Man  that  could  their  homage  gain. 
The  demon  whispered  Counsel  not  in  vain, 
The  Happiness  of  Europe  could  be  won 
Alone  by  Him — The  Prince  of  Babylon ! 

Europe  stretched  out  an  eager  open  hand — 
Each  nation  eager  that  their  native  land 
Should  renovated  be  by  such  an  One 
Who  brought  to  life  the  Stately  Babylon. 
Lo,  Europe's  Hope  alone  was  fixed  on  Him, 
Why  not  have  Caesar's  ancient  diadem 
Crown  such  an  one — He  more  than  human  wise ! 
And  so,  as  swift  as  lightning  from  the  skies,, 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  2J 

As  quickly  spread  the  thought  from  man  to  man — 

Not  one  dissenting  voice  against  this  plan. 

Except  some  "fellows  of  the  baser  kind," 

Who  still  had  Christly  worship  in  their  mind. 

But  now  were  such  a  miserable  lot 

All  men  despised,  hated,  and  heeded  not. 

To  Europe  came  The  Prince  of  Babylon, 
And  never  since  creation  had  been  One 
Receiving  such  a  welcome  from  the  heart — 
From  Beggars  to  the  Princelings  all  took  part 
With  a  munificence  of  glad  display 
Surprising  to  The  World — from  day  to  day 
'Twas  as  a  blaze  of  Glory  in  his  path  — 
The  fiery  Anarchists  forgot  their  wrath 
And  foremost  to  give  honor  at  his  feet. 
The  Capitals  of  Europe  were  ablaze, 
The  every  night  more  brilliant  than  the  days, 
Festooned  and  arched  were  every  house  and  street 
In  prodigality  ne'er  seen  before. 
The  cost  not  reckoned  where  his  footsteps  trod. 
No  greater  honors  had  he  been  a  God 
Could  they  have  given — Nations  could  do  no  more. 
From  tenement  and  hovel  came  the  crowd. 
Who  in  their  very  joy  could  well  have  bowed 
Their  bodies  where  his  horses  pawed  the  street, 
Their  very  lives  seemed  scarce  an  offering  meet 
To  show  their  honor,  their  respect,  their  love. 
Where  ever  spot  his  banner  floats  above 
Was  sacred  to  the  populace — no  guard 
Except  where  love  had  hungered  to  retard 
Was  needed  here  to  keep  him  safe  from  harm. 
His  Princely  form,  and  face,  had  such  a  charm 
That  men  and  women  loath  to  let  him  pass — • 
All  round — behind — before — a  shouting  mass 
Of  men  and  women — crying — laughing — mad 


28  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

With  zeal,  with  joy,  with  pleasure  wnldly  glad. 
Fair  maiaens  wondrous  beautiful  were  there, 
Their  only  covering  their  splendid  hair. 
Naked  before  him — strewing  roses  rare 
Along  the  street.    'Twas  music  everywhere — 
And  white  robed  acolyte  with  censors  threw 
The  rarest  perfumes  as  if  morning  dew ; 
And  the  great  singers  only  were  too  glad 
To  go  before  his  horses  all  unclad 
With  glories  of  the  Bacchanalian  rite — 
The  dancing  feet  more  noiseless  than  the  light. 
And  noble  dames  all  glad,  with  music  led, 
Despised  the  curtains  of  the  marriage  bed 
So  as  to  boast  they  had  been  kist  by  one 
Whom  all  were  eager  to  shower  favors  on. 

And  Paris — maddest  City  of  them  all ! 
Clothed  with  purple  every  vacant  wall. 
Festooned    with   flowers,    with    pearls,   and   precious 

things. 
From  poorest,  as  from  richest,  offerings, 
Extravagance  not  reckoned  in  the  cost, 
All  sense  of  wild  extravagance  was  lost, 
Or  thought  too  paltry  to  be  reckoned  with — 
Even  the  poorest  house  in  City  lit 
With  colored  lights,  and  draperies,  and  flowers. 

And  was  it  then  the  European  Powers 
Sent  their  Ambassadors  of  High  Estate 
Upon  the  Prince  of  Babylon  to  wait, 
List  to  his  councils,  and  record  his  will, 
As  he  appointed  Kings  who  were  to  fill 
The  vacant  thrones — in  Ancient  Roman  World. 
Lo,  at  His  feet  the  battle  flags  were  furled 
And  he  spoke  of  a  universal  peace, 
Proclaimed  aloud  one  universal  plan, 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  29 

For  ever  more  the  battle  curse  should  cease 
And  Nations  shout  the  Brotherhood  of  Man. 

Now  the  Hague  Council  triumphed  in  their  views ! 
And  the  Prince  granted  what  the  Kings  refuse, 
Long  had  they  battled  in  the  cause  of  Peace, 
They  had  been  calling  on  the  Kings  to  cease 
The  making  of  munitions  for  grim  war. 
And  since  the  Prince  of  Babylon  had  come 
To  Europe's  cry — all  nations  did  abhor 
The  thought  of  ever  hearing  the  war  drum 
The  dogs  of  war  should  ever  more  be  dumb. 
Hague's  Peace  Commissioners  (euphonious  sound). 
Wise  men  so  called,  all  learned  and  profound 
In  theories  for  the  Government  of  men — 
They  had  not  reckoned  on  three  letters — sin  ! 
Their  wisdom  scorned  the  thought  of  such  a  thing — 
Their  wild  imaginations  took  swift  wing 
To  height  of  fallacy — they  had  forgot 
That  sin  was  in  the  world — their  foolish  rot 
Of  universal  Brotherhood  were  themes 
That  made  them  silly  in  their  foolish  dreams 
Of  Peace — when  Christ  who  could  bring  Peace  alone 
They  rudely  thrust  Him  from  His  Princely  throne, 
With  studied  insolence  His  claims  ignored. 
And  by  their  foolish  warpings  had  restored 
Once  more  the  Golden  Age  of  Peace  to  man. 
Ignoring  Christ  they  brought  their  little  plan 
Before  the  nations — claiming  to  be  wise — 
The  Peace  Commissions  in  the  World's  eyes 
Well  fitted  to  give  counsel  and  propose 
How  gates  of  Janus  would  for  ever  close. 
And  so  for  years  the  Counsel  met  at  Hague 
Like  wise  old  owls — their  theories  often  vague. 
High  sounding  platitudes,  and  solemn  words 
Oftimes  like  foolish  chattering  of  birds — 


30  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

For  they  who  talk  of  Peace  and  let  Christ  out 

Have  never  of  God's  wisdom  in  their  mouth! 

Christ  is  the  Prince  of  Peace  and  without  Him 

The  world  for  Man  a  charnel  house  all  grim. 

Such  men  of  high  renown  in  their  own  land, 

Learned,  with  Eloquence  at  their  command, 

Their  souls  equipped  as  with  a  fiery  zeal 

To  end  the  age  of  battling  with  steel ; 

Yet  without  wisdom  of  the  Heavenly  Word 

Their  prided  Common  sense  was  most  absurd ! 

Casting  the  Guidance  of  The  Christ  aside, 

With  Reason,  Common  Sense,  their  only  guide 

They  were  the  Blinded  Leaders  of  The  Blind  ! 

For  without  Christ  no  Peace  the  World  will  find  : 

So  all  well  chosen  periods  and  strong  words 

As  useless  as  the  chattering  of  birds. 

And  Nations  all  unheeding  went  their  way 

Building  great  armaments  of  deadly  fray 

To  be  prepared  against  the  coming  day. 

For  while  Kings  to  the  Hague  sent  learned  men — 

And  to  their  platitudes  cried  out.  Amen ! 

They  never  countermanded  any  order 

Withdrawing  war  dogs  from  their  neighbor's  border- 

Nor  outing  Furnace  blast  of  cannon's  making. 

They  spoke  soft  words,  but  never  a  forsaking 

Of  building  monster  that  would  master  seas, 

Of  training  men  maneuvers  for  the  field, 

Each  one  afraid  if  neighbor  did  but  sneeze, 

So  diplomatic  lies  that  well  may  yield 

A  double  meaning  if  too  much  were  said. 

What  Kings  like  those  by  Hague's  conclusion  led- 
Nay  by  the  block ! — there  was  not  single  King 
Who  thought  the  Hague  would  ever  blessing  bring ; 
Such  gatherings  were  only  a  pretense — 
Though  ravings  beautiful,  grand,  intense. 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  31 

Men  judged  they  only  wanted  common  sense. 
But  when  the  crafty  Prince  of  Babylon 
Had  all  of  Europe  to  his  theories  won, 
And  he  had  crushed  out  anarchy's  red  rule, 
His  subtly  made  Hague  his  willing  tool. 
For,  Lo,  his  words  were  full  of  golden  Peace ! 
'Twas  only  common  sense  that  wars  should  cease — 
Unarming  of  the  nations — battleships 
Should  lie  unarmored  along  the  quays  and  slips — 
Soldiers  and  Sailors  turn  to  arts  of  Peace 
Make  them  producers — so  that  soon  would  cease 
The  War  debts,  and  the  burdens  laid  on  man — 
The  Councils  at  the  Hague  the  wisest  plan ! 

And  Europe  heavy  laden  with  war  tax 
Hailed  as  a  blessing  ought  that  would  relax 
Their  labors,  bitter  for  the  many  years, 
Hailed  Him  as  Saviour  with  their  happy  tears ! 
Lo,  sounded  out  the  shouts  of  praising  laud,      . 
From  Prince  to  beggar  all  men  did  applaud 
The  wisdom  of  his  council — War  must  cease  ! 
Hague  bowed  its  head  and  called  him  Prince  of  Peace ! 

A  catch  word,  and  all  Europe  rang  with  it. 
Peace  doves  upon  War  banners  came  and  lit, 
It  was  indeed  the  great  millennial  time — 
War  was  an  outrage,  against  man  a  crime, 
The  rifles,  bayonets,  and  keen  blades  of  steel 
Were  beaten  into  plow  shares — with  swift  zeal 
Grim  cannon  melted  back  in  furnace  blast 
To  bridges,  girders,  pillars,  and  the  like  recast ; 
All  war  munitions  changed  to  peaceful  things. 
Soon  Western  Europe  governed  by  Kings 
Without  war  armament  of  any  kind. 
And,  Lo,  with  hidden  cunning  in  his  mind 
He  counciled  to  hold  Russia  in  grim  check, 


32  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

And  glorious  cause  of  Peace  not  made  a  wreck, 
To  hold  in  Asia  Minor  a  strong  force, 
And  line  of  Battle  Ships  should  have  a  course 
Of  watching  in  East  End  of  tideless  Sea. 

And  Europe  cried — that  only  one  could  be 
Commander  of  War  Forces.    So  he  stood 
Captain  of  forces  upon  Field  and  flood. 
Soldiers  and  Sailors  on  both  Sea  and  land 
Were  absolutely  under  his  command. 

Then  came  that  question  old — yet  ever  new — 
Could  the  Prince  solve  the  riddle  of  The  Jew ! 
Over  three  thousand  years  the  world  had  held 
The  Jew  in  bondage — and  they  could  not  weld 
This  Race  among  the  Races  and  lose  trace 
Of  this,  the  ever  hated  Jewish  face — 
He  sat  in  feast  and  famine  by  their  side, 
Their  pastime  was  to  hate,  and  to  deride. 
Through  all  the  centuries  their  hands  were  dyed 
By  the  red  blood  of  Jew — who  would  not  down — 
In  spite  of  hate  of  rabble,  and  of  Crown  ; 
They  lived  as  like  to  felons  in  foul  cells 
But  still,  no  matter  where  the  place  he  dwells 
He  flourished  and  grew  fat  on  Gentile  gains, 
Tho'  not  allowed  to  cultivate  the  plains 
Yet  still  his  grasp  upon  the  fruit  of  fields — 
And  in  the  market  place  forever  wields 
The  Whip  of  Gold  above  the  Gentile  head. 
He  in  the  art  of  trading  all  men  led — 
This  Jew  that  would  not  down  for  lash  nor  bribe, 
This  money  getting,  holding,  hoarding  tribe. 
Were  very  locusts  in  the  Gentile  sight — 
To  spread  a  desolation  and  a  blight. 

Lo,  in  the  past  The  Prince  had  even  been 
The  best  of  friends  The  Jew  had  ever  seen — 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  33 

He  had  invited  Jews  to  Babylon, 

Indeed  His  great  Prosperity  was  won 

In  the  quick  way  his  welcoming  was  met 

By  The  Jew  gold — and  by  the  pace  they  set. 

Jew  won  renown  in  Babylon's  great  Mart — 

So  gladly  to  him  turned  the  Jewish  heart 

For  they  were  stricken  by  the  anarchy — 

And  through  the  whole  of  Europe  one  may  see 

The  burned  walls  of  homes  and  factory 

Where  late  the  Jews  had  flourished  like  bay  trees— 

And  now  a  quake  and  trembling  of  the  knees, 

For  knowing  well  they  were  a  race  accursed 

They  never  knew  how  soon  new  storm  would  burst 

With  such  a  fury  they  could  not  withstand. 

And  so  their  hearts  turned  to  their  ancient  land — 
To  Prince  they  raised  the  supplicating  hand — 
(Perchance  in  secret  promised  to  him  gold 
If  he  the  messengers  of  hate  withhold.) 
So  may  he  not  then  counsel  for  their  fate 
Let  Palestine  he  reckoned  as  a  State — 
He  would  protect,  and  he  would  hedge  them  in, 
So  that  no  future  deeds  of  theirs  should  win 
The  hatred  and  contempt  of  Gentile  Race ; 
Confine  them  as  it  were  to  their  own  space. 
Not  future  thorns  to  prick  the  Gentile's  side, 
Nor  be  a  bur  on  Gentile's  trading  pride. 
Surely  His  Plan  was  quickly  ratified — 
Behold  Him  then  Protector  of  the  Jews — 
For  neither  Jew  nor  Gentile  did  refuse 
His  counsels,  for  he  stood  to  every  mind 
The  Wisest  Man  that  all  the  world  could  find. 

And  so  the  covenant  of  seven  years  ! 
Surcease  of  Gentile  hate  and  Jewish  tears — 


34  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

Perchance,  the  Jewish  People  quickly  went 
From  every  spot  of  Europe's  Continent, 
'Til  few  the  thousands  who  were  left  behind 
As  fret  or  jar  upon  the  Gentile  mind. 

After  that  visit — never  more  the  same — 
His  Heart  was  bitter  with  the  thirst  of  Fame, 
E'en  Babylon's  vast  Glories  now  grew  tame. 
He  thirsted  for  the  glory  that  there  springs 
Forever  to  the  warring  of  Great  Kings : 
He  nursed  a  thirst  that  only  Blood  could  slake 
With  ruin  and  dead  bodies  in  its  wake; 
Visions  of  conquest  ever  more  arose — 
Conqueror,  triumphant  o'er  his  foes ; 
The  Peaceful  Arts  lost  glamour  to  his  eyes 
In  heart,  and  brain,  in  thought,  such  did  despise 
The  flapping  wings  War  Eagles  spread  abroad, 
Now  to  his  eyes  more  worthy  to  applaud. 
No  more  the  student  of  the  Peaceful  arts 
By  which  he  won  the  homage  of  all  hearts ; 
Now  Book  that  knowledge  of  Great  Wars  imparts, 
The  acts  of  mighty  men  of  valor  so  impressed 
That  to  his  soul,  and  mind,  there  was  no  rest 
If  not  perusing  on  the  lettered  page 
Of  the  great  masters  of  each  warring  age. 
In  secret  did  he  ponder — not  to  one 
Did  he  betray  what  his  soul  fixed  upon ; 
So  while  his  mind  upon  Great  Warrings  fed 
Men  dreamed  it  was  for  pastime  that  he  read, 
In  this  midnight  forsaking  of  his  bed 
To  pore  o'er  tomes  by  which  he  may  be  led 
To  victory — escaping  blunder  that  became 
Old  Warrior's  downfall — oft  their  death  and  shame. 

In  building  up  of  Glorious  Babylon 
He  had  in  Peace  the  highest  trophy  won — 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST  35 

She  may  increase  in  men,  in  brick,  in  gold, 

A  vaster  realm  of  Glory  yet  unfold — 

But  the  enlargement  of  this  splendid  Gem 

Could  bring  no  greater  Glory  now  to  him. 

Yet  after  all,  when  all  his  Glories  said, 

To  what  high  place  had  all  his  Glory  led — 

The  very  highest  word  of  honor  paid — 

He  only  stood,  "The  Greatest  King  of  Trade  !" 

A  Trader !  this  name  surely  stung  his  pride ! 
Tho'  Rhapsody  had  almost  Deified 
By  Poet's  Praise — because  his  works  renowned 
Throughout  the  world — His  the  best  City  found 
Wherein  the  trader  faster  multiplied 
His  paltry  gain.    Nor  had  the  Poet  lied 
In  praising  his  munificence  to  art — 
In  beautifying  counting  house,  and  mart. 
Yet  trader  still — and  for  his  trading  praised — 
By  each  historian,  many  statues  raised. 
But  every  statue  had  some  trading  hint ! 
This  thought  throughout  his  inmost  spirit  sent 
Rebellious  pride — and  so  with  proud  disdain 
His  soul  revolted  that  the  trader's  gain 
Was  wrapped  around  him  like  a  garment  grim — 
And  through  it  every  mortal  looked  at  him. 

Would  he  be  simply  "Trader"  to  the  end — 
And  he  unable  during  life  to  rend 
That  hated  appellation  from  his  name — 
And  what  tho'  Babylon  had  won  great  fame 
Would  she  continue  on,  the  very  same 
Great  Mistress  of  the  Nations — ages  shower 
On  her  munificence  and  royal  dower 
Of  vaster  splendor — would  not  envy  come 
Out  of  its  den  when  his  great  brain  death  dumb ; 
Would  not  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  combine 


36  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

To  wreck  her  glory — drink  her  golden  wine, 
Wrecking  the  golden  chalice  he  had  wrought. 
It  was  to  him  exceeding  bitter  thought 
That  she,  the  City  who  from  grave  yard  came — 
From  olden  Babylon  of  perished  fame — 
Once  wasted  by  grim  Time  and  other  foes — 
Tho'  from  her  grave  more  splendid  City  rose — 
Could  not  this  golden  City  of  his  pride 
Be  dashed  to  pieces  and  the  foemen  ride 
Their  horses  through  her  ruined  gates  and  courts ; 
Could  not  again  wild  asses  hold  mad  sports 
Where  now  men  walked  in  reverence  and  awe 
Abashed  at  each  great  building  which  they  saw ; 
Would  the  hyena  and  the  Jackal  bark, 
Aye,  all  the  doleful  creatures  of  the  dark. 
For  meat  and  plunder — prowl  about  the  place 
Where  now  his  palace  lifted  lace  like  grace — 
The  bittern  make  cry — the  Owl  her  nest — 
Where  now  at  night  he  laid  him  down  to  rest — 
And  where  broad  streets  are  now — be  marshy  place 
Where  frogs  may  croak  and  rodents  haunt  and  chase- 
The  fountains  where  his  Women  now  undressed 
But  spots  where  doleful  creatures  of  unrest 
Would  in  Night  watches  send  out  dismal  cries! 
And  in  his  dreaming  ofttimes  would  arise 
Chaldea's  plain  as  he  had  once  beheld — 
Against  his  wishes,  lo,  he  was  compelled 
To  see  in  vision — ruinous,  wild  plain — 
Rubbish  of  bricks — and  miry  place  of  clay — 
And  marshes  made  by  river,  and  by  rain. 
With  scum  of  foulness  resting  there  alway — 
As  drear,  and  desolate,  and  weird,  a  place 
As  ever  cast  a  shadow  on  man's  face — 
And  as  it  was  once — ah,  would  it  be  again — 
His  heart  was  shivering  in  bitter  pain! 
And  what  was  that,  that  crazy  Christian  said — 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  37 

Another  Jonah  through  the  streets  he  fled, 
In  sackcloth  clad,  and  ashes  on  his  head — 
But  everyone  in  Babylon  had  heard — 
His  crying,  as  with  gladness  clad  each  word : 

"Woe  to  Thee,  Babylon!    War  and  fire  shall  rend! 

Christ  in  great  lurath  shall  surely  make  an  end 

Of  all  thy  Glory,  sure  destruction  send! 

Woe  to  Thee,  Babylon,  and  all  thy  race! 

Christ  shall  envelop  Thee  in  dire  disgrace! 

His  wrath  eternal  crush  thee,  Babylon! 

And  of  thy  millions  shall  remain — not  one! 

As  Sodoni  and  Gomorrah  felt  His  ire — 

So  Babylon  shall  crumble  in  His  Fire ^ 

Of  grim  destruction — lurid  smoke  arise 

To  tell  that  Babylon  in  ashes  lies" 

What  if  that  Christian  felt  the  lion's  paws, 
What  if  his  flesh  torn  by  their  cruel  claws — 
What  if  his  bones  were  crunched  between  their  jaws- 
He  left  behind  that  thrice  accursed  cry 
Now  echoing  in  ears,  and  would  not  die ! 
What  if  his  words  indeed  not  a  base  lie — 
And  Babylon  be  shattered  once  again — 
Wild  desolation  sit  upon  her  plain — 
With  Fire  from  Heaven  instead  of  blessed  rain — 
What  had  been  once,  could  surely  come  once  more— 
Tho'  pride  rebels — and  ever  thoughts  deplore — 
His  Babylon  be  as  she  was  before 
Drear  heap  of  ruins — desolate,  sad  shore ! 
Ah,  could  he  meet  Jehovah  face  to  face — 
Just  to  come  nigh  Him  for  a  little  space — 
Surely  to  show  contempt  and  give  disgrace 
He  would  have  spat  a  spittle  in  Christ's  face. 
He  felt  that  Jah  could  laugh  at  Him  indeed — 
What  tho'  in  agony  the  heart  may  bleed 


38  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

And  all  the  froth  of  cursing  come  to  lip, 
How  useless  such  for,  lo,  a  few  years  slip 
And  all  his  splendid  Glory  vanishing — 
He  in  few  hours  detested,  putrid  thing — 
And  others  take  his  place  to  win  or  blight — 
And  suddenly  before  his  frenzied  sight 
There  stood  a  lonely  figure  of  affright — 
Himself !  an  unclad  spirit  of  The  Night ! 

Now  none  may  tell  of  the  hour,  nor  the  place, 
When  the  Prince  met  Lucifer  face  to  face. 
Who  offered  the  Prince  what  Christ  had  refused 
And  the  spirit  of  daring  in  Prince  infused. 

Perchance,  on  high  roof  of  Palace  he  stood, 
At  his  feet  the  City's  voluptuous  flood 
Surrounded — and  far  as  the  eye  could  behold 
Were  Palaces — Structures — The  Rivers  like  gold 
Swept  through  the  vast  streets,  rushing  down  to  the  sea, 
Past  magnificent  Quays  where  shipping  may  be — 
For  every  seaport  which  looked  at  the  sun 
Had  surely  its  sea  craft  at  Great  Babylon! 
Lo,  league  upon  league  stretched  the  City  away, 
Like  jewels  of  splendor  her  palaces  lay — 
And  his  Palace  surely  the  jewel  to  eye 
The  legend  had  sped :    ''It  had  dropped  from  the  sky 
A  gift  of  the  high  Gods  to  Babylon's  Prince.'' 
Such  Palace  may  surely  have  well  come  from  thence — 
No  such  building  as  this  had  e'er  seen  the  sun 
The  Jewel  of  Glory  of  Great  Babylon, 
For  costly  and  rare  was  each  stone,  and  each  gem, 
That  Commerce  had  gathered  and  given  to  him — 
To  shower  on  him  glory,  and  honor,  and  love. 
Of  all  of  Earth's  leaders  he  stood  far  above. 
Without  Peer  in  the  world — so  brilliant  his  brain — 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST  39 

No  question  was  asked  for  solution  in  vain — 
The  past  and  the  future  seem  mapped  to  his  eye — 
And  glittering  wisdom  in  every  reply; 
No  "sentence  too  dark"  that  he  could  not  explain 
'Til   men    fairly   worshipped,   'This   Man   with    God 
Brain  r 

As  on  Palace  roof  there— His  heart  thrilled  with 
pride — 
Well  may  it — for  round  him  on  every  side 
The  fruit  of  his  toiling— the  fruit  of  his  brain- 
He  found  it  a  bare  and  a  desolate  plain — 
And  now  it  stood  there  as  his  brain  had  conceived : 
(Far  off  it  was  only  as  fancy  had  weaved 
The  thought — the  conception — once  foolish  to  spin 
Such  dream  of  wild  fancy  to  common  sense  men — 
But  earnestness — daring  would  not  take  a  nay ! 
The  yesterday's  dream— now  brick— marble— to-day.) 
And  millions  beneath  him  completed  his  thought — 
And  he  to  completion  his  dreaming  had  brought— 
There  stood  his  great  City— her  marts  and  her  ships- 
Had  put  all  the  Cities  on  Earth  in  Eclipse. 
As  maker  and  breaker  of  values  he  stood 
Of  the  fruitage  of  earth,  the  fruit  of  sea  flood, 
The  value  of  everything  under  the  sun 
Was  based  on  the  prices  of  his  Babylon. 
His  hands  held  the  values  of  color  and  race. 
The  white,  and  the  black,  and  the  yellow  man's  face, 
Grew  sad  at  his  frowning,  grew  glad  at  his  smile. 
And  woe  to  offender,  tho'  subtle  in  guile. 
That  dared  to  hold  lightly  the  prices  he  made, 
'Twere  best  not  be  born  than  cross  him  in  trade. 
Not  a  wind  but  wafting  the  sail  craft  to  him— 
Brought  merchandise  varied— and  costhest  gem- 
More  ships  at  his  great  quays  their  white  sales  unfurled 
Than  the  ship  craft  of  all  the  rest  of  the  World. 


40  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

Of  sudden  he  started — who  stood  in  his  sight — 
Most  wonderful  Being — Majestic  in  Light — 
So  glorious  of  face,  and  of  form,  and  of  dress, 
This  Being  the  High  God,  aye,  surely  not  less ! 
All  speechless  in  wonder  he  tremblingly  gazed, 
His  eyes,  and  his  senses  were  surely  amazed : 
No  artist  in  rapture  conceived  such  a  face, 
A  grand,  stately  figure  all  perfect  in  grace. 
His  robing  seemed  jewels  with  wonderful  sheen; 
In  wildest  conception  man's  brain  had  not  seen 
Such  Being  magnificent,  glorious,  complete, 
From  brow  so  majestic,  to  gem  covered  feet. 
All  silent  he  gazed,  and  his  tongue  could  not  move, 
Was  this  but  a  phantom  soon  shadow  to  prove — 
Amazement  had  tongue  tied — he  could  only  gaze — 
'Til  eyes  grew  as  blinded  before  such  a  blaze — 
He  trembled  and  shook  at  the  sight  of  this  One 
That  dimmed  all  the  Glory  of  Great  Babylon ! 

But  his  heart  gathered  courage,  for,  lo,  on  that  face 
There  was  glad  smile  of  welcome  mid  majestic  grace, 
And  the  words  that  were  uttered  became  to  his  ear 
The  most  exquisite  music  that  mortal  may  hear : 

"Prince !  Fear  Not !  I  come  for  thy  good  not  thy  ill — 
Thou  my  favorite  son — and  son  thou  art  still — 
I  led  thee,  and  nursed  thee  from  hour  of  thy  birth. 
Have  made  thee  the  highest,  and  noblest  of  Earth ! 
Without   me  thou   couldst  not   have  conceived   The 

Thought 
Of  Babylon's  splendor — nor  fingers  had  wrought 
Such  structures  of  glory — thy  life  in  my  care 
Has  conquered  the  foes  that  had  made  thee  despair; 
Each  hour  of  thy  life  I  have  stood  by  thy  side, 
Have  won  for  thee  Glory,  and  Honor,  and  Pride. 
Lo,  Thou  wert  but  earth  worm  had  I  not  upheld 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  4^ 

And  my  Power  the  forces  of  nations  compelled 

To  give  Thee  their  strength,  their  glory,  their  power, 

I've  girdled,  and  guided,  and  fed,  from  birth  hour.- 

Lo,  now  I  am  come,  Prince,  to  make  thee  Divine — 

If  Thou  unto  my  hands  thy  being  resign! 

Now  Prince  of  a  City — but  'tis  in  my  hand 

To  give  thee  the  whole  world  to  thy  sole  command — 

The  Prince  of  all  Princes — the  King  of  all  Kings— 

Every  spot  of  the  earth  where  light  spreads  its  wings 

The  Nations,  the  Peoples  of  Earth,  and  of  Sea, 

Shall  give  to  thee  honors  of  a  Deity. 

Prince,  Behold !"  And,  lo,  at  Satan's  command 

To  the  eyes  of  the  Prince  as  tho'  near  at  hand 

Most  wonderful  vision — the  earth  seemed  to  lie 

Grand  picture  before  him — most  clear  to  the  eye 

Panorama  of  Continents  vast,  all  complete, 

All  the  glory  of  nations  was  spread  at  his  feet. 

The  millions — the  millions  of  women  and  men. 

Their  homes,  and  their  places,  stood  out  to  his  ken, 

The  glory,  and  splendor  of  nations  flashed  out 

From  the  East,  and  the  West,  the  North,  and  the 

South, 
The  gold,  and  the  silver,  the  flocks,  and  the  kine. 
Exotics  of  tropic— the  northland's  brave  pine— 
The  populous  Cities— all— all  standing  fair — 
The  wealth  of  the  whole  of  the  great  world  there! 

And  then  the  voice  ringing:    ''Behold,  all  is  Thine, 
And  all  men  shall  give  to  thee  Honors  Divine, 
All  servile  all  Peoples  to  thee  bend  the  knee 
If  thou  falling  down,  as  Thy  God  Worship  me!" 

The  Prince  drunk  with  glory  as  it  had  been  wine 
Kissed  Lucifer's  feet — and  Hailed  Him  Divine! 


42  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

And  may  we  conceive  that  in  that  fatal  hour 
Proud  Satan  revealed  to  the  Prince  his  vast  power, 
And  opened  his  eyes  to  the  world  hid  from  men, 
Brought  Lucifer's  myriads  before  Prince's  kin. 

''Be  open  the  eyes  of  Thy  Spirit!  Behold! 
The  myriads  on  myriads — the  numbers  untold — 
That  worshippeth  me — Prince,  behold  them  and  see 
If  I  am  not  worthy  of  Godhead  to  thee!" 

So  all  of  a  sudden  the  Prince  was  aware 
That  legions  of  spirits  were  everywhere. 
He  looked  down  from  his  place,  Lo,  at  his  feet 
Uncountable  demons  were  thronging  each  street  ; 
And  millions  of  dwellers  of  Babylon  strode, 
The'  knowing  it  not,  yet  each  demon's  abode — 
Aye,  demon  possessed — were  the  women,  and  men. 
As  mere  pawns  in  the  game  of  folly  and  sin. 
And,  lo,  around  Lucifer  stood  a  vast  train 
Of  magnificent  Beings  all  owning  his  reign. 

His    chieftains    were    many — their    splendor    was 
great — 
Renowned  in  their  bearings  and  high  in  estate — 
The  Princes  of  Demons — magnificent  things 
That  well  may  have  claimed  the  great  homage  of  Kings. 
Behind  them  retainers  that  filled  all  the  air — 
Where  ever  he  turned — they  stood  everywhere — 
His  senses  bewildered — he  had  not  conceived 
Of  this  grand  unseen  world — had  never  believed 
(Tho'  God  had  proclaimed  it) — the  vast,  vast  array 
Of  splendorous  Beings — like  sands  of  the  sea — 
Had  eyes  not  been  opened  this  glory  to  see 
A  glory  more  brilliant  than  sun  at  mid-day. 

And  then  another  wonder  to  his  eyes 
The  Demons  parted — and  he  saw  arise 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  43 

From  the  Euphrates  flood  four  Demon  Kings, 

Whose  motions  were  more  rapid  than  bird's  wings, 

So  terrible  in  fierceness  and  in  strength 

They  may  not  fail  no  matter  whether  sent. 

And,  lo,  behind  them  tier  on  tier  rose  up. 

Like  steam  that  cometh  from  a  crater's  cup, 

Dense  in  their  numbers,  darkening  e'en  the  sky, 

A  wondrous  host  before  his  quaking  eye — 

Horsemen  were  they  for  battle  and  affray — 

Surely  to  eye  a  terrible  array — 

Breast  plate  of  fire,  of  jacinth,  and  brimstone. 

Lion  headed  horses  snorting  death  alone — 

For  brimstone,  fire,  and  deadly  smelling  smoke 

From  their  fierce  mouths  in  direful  venom  broke. 

And  tails  like  scorpions  lashing  to  and  fro. 

Hissing  their  venom,  and  death  dealing  blow. 

They  were  invincible  and  Deadly  Foe. 

Spoke  Lucifer:    "O,  be  thou  not  afraid 

As  long  as  I  am  near  to  give  thee  aid, 

All  power  on  earth  is  mine — I  give  it  you — j 

Only  be  faithful — to  my  worship  true — 

And  all  these  myriads  ready  to  thy  hand 

Whereby  to  conquer,  sky,  and  sea,  and  land. 

Go  forth  to  conquer,  gird  thy  loins  for  war, 

And  every  nation  near  and  all  afar 

Shall  bend  the  knee  obedient  at  thy  word. 

But  let  not  name  of  Christ  be  ever  heard. 

He  is  alone  the  f  oeman — in  thy  way. 

But  with  my  forces — with  this  vast  array 
Thou  shalt  be  conqueror  and  bring  to  naught — 
Leave  not  in  mind  of  man  one  Christly  thought. 
Go  slay  whoever  bears  the  Christly  name. 
To  them  be  ignominy,  and  death,  of  shame. 
Slay  and  devour  nor  leave  one  tongue  alive 
That  to  a  mortal  may  Christ's  name  revive. 


44  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

Stay  not  the  fierceness  of  thy  Royal  hand, 
Mortals  and  demons  are  at  thy  command, 
Slack  not  thy  vengeance — in  my  regal  cause, 
And  thou  shalt  surely  win  my  sweet  applause, 
All  that  I  have  most  surely  shall  be  Thine — 
To  men  and  Demons  thou  shalt  be  Divine. 
Thou  art  no  longer  Prince  of  Babylon 
But  Lucifer's  Dear,  Only,  Honored  Son! 
None  shall  be  higher — Highest  God  thou  art — 
Conquering  go  forth,  O  Son,  of  mine  own  heart !" 

And  at  a  sign  from  Lucifer — the  host 
Of  high  ones,  who  held  Satan's  highest  post, 
Fell  on  their  knees  and  shouted  praise  to  Him — 
While  Satan  on  Prince's  brow  put  Royal  diadem. 

Now  strong  in  Satan's  strength — his  heart  afire- 
His  soul  possessed  one  aiming,  one  desire. 
His  being  called  aloud  for  World  wide  fame. 
Scarlet  in  color  lit  by  battle  flame ! 
'Twere  as  his  nostrils  longed  for  the  blood  scent — 
His  eyes  would  see  battalions  torn  and  rent 
In  battle  rout — his  mouth  had  thirst  for  blood 
Instead  of  flowers,  he  would  have  mire  and  mud 
Beneath  his  feet — the  sweep  of  battle  field 
Would  to  his  senses  sweeter  perfume  yield. 
His  eyes  were  fixed  on  Csesar's  vacant  throne — 
Most  surely  he  would  claim  it  as  his  own 
And  all  his  brain  was  busy  with  the  thought 
Whereby  a  road  would  lead  to  what  he  sought. 

So  feigning  that  he  had  received  a  slight 
From  Egypt's  King — he  hastened  to  the  fight. 
No  longer  on  his  flag  the  Ephah  blazed 
And  on  the  fold  whence  it  had  been  erased 
The  Double  Headed  Eagle  flapped  its  wings — 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  45 

A  challenge  to  the  World  and  its  Kings. 

Quick,  sharp,  decisive  was  the  Battle  blast. 

For  unaware  was  Eg>'pt  she  had  cast 

A  slur  upon  the  Babylonian  Prince — 

She  had  no  time  to  act  in  self  defense — 

His  fleet  was  in  her  harbor — and  his  men 

Of  valor  flooded  Cities  of  her  land 

E'er  she  had  time  to  raise  an  armed  band — 

All  easily  this  victory  to  win. 

And  feigning  still  upon  some  false  pretext 

They  had  said  something  his  great  mind  to  vex 

Syria  and  Greece — bent  homage  at  his  feet — 

Fearing  his  armies  and  his  mighty  fleet — 

And  so,  three  Kings  allegiance  to  him  gave — 

The  Flag  of  his  dominion  o'er  them  wave. 

And  Europe  all  astounded  rubbed  their  eyes 

As  one  from  sleep  awakening  in  surprise 

But  not  with  terror — 'twas  delight  to  them 

That  he  had  won  a  triple  diadem. 

And  ''Ccesar!  Ccesar!  Ccesar!"  was  the  cry 

That  ran  along  the  European  sky. 

Who  like  to  him  in  all  the  world  around — 

Surely  no  Kinglier  one  the  human  found 

To  sit  in  Caesar's  place  to  rule  and  reign — 

It  was  the  Public  Cry  none  dare  restrain — 

Kings  of  His  choosing  knew  rebellion  vain. 

With  Peaceful  trophies  had  he  come  before 
But  now  not  even  Fool  Hague  dare  deplore 
War  Banners  flapping  blood  folds  to  the  breeze. 
Lo,  were  not  three  Kings  down  upon  their  knees 
And  seven  more  were  bending  at  his  feet — 
The  Populace  with  acclamations  greet! 
The  Man  of  Blood  has  ever  homage  won, 
The  Populace  to  cheer  him  ever  run ; 
The  Conqueror  most  pleasing  to  the  eye ; 


46  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

So  as  through  Europe  he  again  passed  by 
The  Populace  more  wild  than  e'er  before, 
And  glad,  wild  hearts,  with  their  glad  faces  bore, 
A  welcome  truly  springing  from  the  soul, 
This  man  indeed  had  absolute  control 
O'er  mind,  and  heart,  and  fortunes,  to  command — 
Their  darhng  wish  to  own  his  ruling  hand. 

The  crowning  of  this  Csesar — who  may  say 
Of  the  glad  homage  paid  to  Him  that  day 
All  the  great  ones  of  Europe  at  his  feet — 
His  splendor  and  his  triumph  was  complete — 
Such  brilliant  gathering — the  gems,  the  gold, 
Had  values  of  a  figure  never  told — 
Past  computation  cost  of  wild  display 
Three  Continents  kept  Royal  Holiday, 
Such  laughing,  cheering,  feasting,  drunken  throngs, 
The  Cannon's  Salvos,  music,  and  fierce  songs. 
Who  dare  protest — what  face  dare  to  look  sad  ? 
The  World  in  such  a  Carnival  went  mad. 

Lo,  the  vast  World  was  mouthing  of  His  praise- 
Each  Foreign  Nation  to  him  honor  pays 
Sending  Ambassadors  with  fulsome  words. 
For  not  a  Nation  dared  to  cross  their  swords 
With  this  Great  Csesar — and  indeed  his  worth 
With  Joy  was  recognized  by  all  the  Earth, 
For  all  sucked  gold  from  Babylon's  broad  breast ; 
Lo,  He  The  Greatest  One  on  Earth  confessed. 
And  words  once  coupled  with  Jehovah's  name 
Now  from  the  lips  of  Oratory  came 
Bald,  boldest  blasphemy  to  crown  his  fame. 

And  then  a  deadly  hate  within  him  rose 
In  the  wide  World  none  dare  to  be  his  foes. 
No  Nation  in  the  World  may  hint  a  slur. 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  47 

Yes,  there  was  one,  a  mangy,  yellow  cur, 

Whose  joyous  bark  was  heard  across  the  World. 

What  flag  was  this  the  cursed  Jews  unfurled — 

jEHOVAH's-David's  ensign  on  their  height 

When  but  one  flag  should  greet  the  human  sight 

In  Caesar's  vast  possession.    Insolence, 

And  had  those  people  but  such  little  sense 

To  pray  his  presence — his  most  august  face 

To  see  the  opening  of  their  Temple  place. 

So  then  a  venom  surely  brewed  in  Hell 

Upon  his  spirit,  soul,  and  being  fell, 

But  cloaking  all  the  venom  of  his  hate 

He  swore  within  his  heart,  that  the  Jew  fate 

When  his  deep  vengeance  on  their  head  should  fall 

Would  every  soul  upon  the  Earth  appall. 

He  gave  the  messengers  but  honeyed  phrase — 

Then  to  Jew  heart  indeed  were  joyful  days — 

And  they  would  give  a  welcome  to  their  guest 

That  all  the  World  would  surely  say  was  best. 

Lo,  when  the  Jews  returned  to  Fatherland 
A  stream  of  gold  was  joined  to  worker's  hand — 
And  Heaven  itself  had  opened  treasure  trove 
Jehovah  surely  smiling  in  His  love. 

Lo,  now  the  former  and  the  latter  rains 
Were  breaking  softly  on  the  Jewish  plains, 
And  all  the  World  beheld  a  fruitful  land — 
Giving  a  hundred  fold  to  toiler's  hand. 

Cities  sprang  up  and  blossomed  over  night. 
The  once  brown,  bare  and  barren  land  a  sight 
Of  gracious  f ruitfulness  of  wheat,  and  wines ; 
And,  lo,  the  wealth  of  new  discovered  mines 
Filled  all  the  world  with  envy  at  their  wealth ; 
It  seemed  on  every  spot  where  Jew  now  dwelt 


48  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

Had  like  a  fountain  burst  to  give  them  gold — 
Each  spot  a  spring  of  riches  all  untold. 

And,  Lo,  there  blossomed  upon  Zion's  place 
A  Temple  Glory  that  the  human  race 
Had  ne'er  the  like  beheld — e'en  Babylon 
Mid  all  her  Glories — no  such  Glory  won. 
Again  the  Ancient  Ritual  men  saw 
A  strict  observance  to  Mosaic  Law — 
Again  were  beasts  to  brazen  altar  led — 
Again  the  High  Priest  hand  upon  their  head — 
Again  the  life  went  out  as  life's  blood  shed — 
Again  the  morning  and  the  evening  lamb — 
Again  the  singers  praising  The  "I  am  !" 

Tho'  Nations  rife  with  curiosity 
Came  to  Jerusalem  the  sight  to  see — 
Yet  Gentile's  mind  revolted  at  the  thought 
That  the  Shed  Blood  Redemptive  grace  had  wrought. 
But  as  The  Prince  stood  silent  to  this  thing 
As  Jew  beneath  the  shelter  of  his  wing, 
The  Gentile  tongue  was  silent  as  they  gazed 
At  the  Most  Holy,  for  it  fairly  blazed 
With  jewel  splendor  set  in  beaten  gold — 
No  thin  veneer  with  hidden  stone  beneath — 
From  Capstone  to  the  floor  beneath  the  feet 
Of  Jah's  Own  House  the  eye  may  not  behold 
On  any  other  than  the  jeweled  gold ! 

Caesar  at  last  came  to  Jerusalem — 
And  Europe's  great  Ambassadors  with  him — 
A  gathering  of  splendor — high  estate — 
Around  about  His  footsteps  ever  wait. 

And  was  the  High  Feast  set  on  that  fell  day 
When  Csesar's  voice  rang  with  majestic  sway — 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  49 

Cried  to  High  Priest: 

"Take  these  foul  things,  away — 
Your  sacrifices  and  your  blood  I  loath — 
J  ah!  is  no  God — and  never  let  your  throat 
To  Jiifn  sing  praise — As  I  am  God  alone — 
And  seated  in  Jah's  house  on  jeweled  throne 
Let  your  Priests  come  and  shout  to  me  your  praise — 
Now  let  you  singers  glorious  anthems  raise — 
To  me,  The  Lord  alone,  and  only  me, 
For  there  he  no  God  higher  than  I  be!" 

A  wild  astonishment  swept  every  face — 
They  look  on  Him  and  surely  there  was  grace, 
And  majesty,  and  might,  and  God  like  mien, 
And  suddenly  upon  his  face  was  seen 
"A  light  that  was  not  of  the  land  or  sea." 

And  suddenly  there  burst  tumultuously 
In  all  the  air  around  (no  form  to  see) 
As  mighty  hosts  were  thundering  their  praise — 
And  unseen  hands  did  quickly,  safely  raise.. 
That  all  may  see.  The  Prince  high  in  the  air — 
To  Temple's  highest  pinnacle  he  went 
Mid  gazer's  wonder  and  astonishment — 
And  louder,  mightier,  then  waxed  the  cries 
Crashing  like  thunder  voices  in  the  skies — 
The  Earth  vibrating  in  that  joyful  sound — 
And  then  descending — safely  to  the  ground — 
The  gazing  multitude  fell  at  his  feet 
With  cries  of  joy,  and  praise,  and  prayer,  to  greet — 
He  stood  supremely  Fair — as  with  bowed  head 
The  many  thousand  knelt  and  worshipped. 

Then  Caesar's  Prophet  showed  his  glorious  face, 
Proclaiming: — ''Here  the  God  of  Human  Race! 
That  He  who  will  not  worship  shall  be  slain — • 


50  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

This  once  Jah's  House  shall  he  the  Holy  fane 

Where  He  shall  sit  upon  his  jeweled  throne 

That  all  must  worship  Him,  and  Him  alone! 

He  is  their  Christ,  Their  Man-God,  Lord  and  King, 

And  he  who  dare  refuse  such  worshipping 

A  vile  blasphemer — and  must  surely  die! 

Now  let  no  dog  tongue  move,  none  dare  deny !" 

And  then  to  show  The  Prince  indeed  Divine 
He  miracles  performed,  and  many  a  sign 
Of  wonder.     Here  no  trick,  nor  slight  of  hand, 
But  full  insight  that  all  may  understand 
Here  was  their  God — in  truth  and  not  in  name — 
He  brought  from  the  high  Heaven  living  flame 
Of  fire  that  scorched  and  blasted  where  it  fell — 
Here  were  true  miracles,  not  magic  spell. 
Here  unbelief  was  dumb — no  faith — but  sight 
In  the  full  noontide  of  a  summer's  light 
He  brought  consuming  fire  from,  place  on  high ! 
Each  eye  beheld  it  coming  from  the  sky — 
Here  sight  and  common  sense  compelled  belief — 
Nor  were  the  miracles  of  time  so  brief 
That  sense  of  trick,  or  fraud,  or  cheat  may  find 
The  smallest  lurking  corner  in  the  mind. 

As  here  Humanity  in  joy  now  wept 
The  Glorious  news  around  the  world  was  swept — 
The  demon  hosts  lurking  in  human  breast 
His  Godhead  and  His  Majesty  confessed — 
And  demon  led  Humanity  was  brought 
To  own  Him  God,  in  act,  in  word,  in  thought. 

And,  lo,  His  Images  were  multiplied — 
Grossest  Idolatry  on  every  side — 
Idols  of  wood  and  stone,  silver  and  gold. 
Carved  to  His  image — and  so  men  behold 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  5I 

Again  upon  the  earth  as  days  of  old  — 
The  Image  and  the  Worshipper  again. 
And  he  who  worshipped  not  had  deadly  pain 
Of  ghastly  torture — anguish  every  breath — 
And  surely  as  a  happiness  came  Death. 

Lo,  stranger  still,  for  in  Jerusalem 
A  Glorious  Image  did  they  carve  of  Him — 
And,  lo,  the  Image  was  a  living  thing — 
A  Perfect  Image  of  their  God  and  King — 
And  high  on  Temple  Pinnacle  was  raised 
As  wondering  thousands  stood  amazed  and  gazed, 
The  Image  spoke  as  living  oracle — 
And  this  the  message  from  his  lips  that  fell : 

To  Peoples,  to  the  Earth's  remotest  end, 
This  message — this  command  and  Lazv  I  send — 
All  creatures  must  acknozdedge  him  as  God — 
Each  creature  on  the  sea,  on  earthly  sod, 
The  rich,  the  poor,  the  bondsman  and  the  free, 
Must  by  their  zvords  acknozdedge  Him  to  be 
Alone  their  Lord  and    God!  zi'ho  disobey 
The  Minister  of  Wrath  shall  surely  slay. 
That  all  and  each  may  shozv  true  loyalty, 
Upon  the  brozv  or  on  right  hand  must  be 
His  royal  mark — so  zvhen  you  sell  or  buy 
Display  the  royal  mark  to  every  eye — 
And  neither  buy  nor  sell  but  to  the  one 
On  zjuhom  the  Royal  mark  is  branded  on — = 
To  unbelievers — bread  and  life  deny — 
Lo,  all  Zi'ho  disobey  shall  surely  die!" 

Lo  over  Europe  ran  the  swift  command — 
His  number  on  the  brow,  or  in  right  hand, 
The  number  of  their  God — who  disobeyed 
Under  the  rod  of  vengeance  quickly  laid. 


52  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

The  Followers  of  Christ  now  stricken  sore, 

And  thousands  upon  thousands  meekly  bore 

The  anguish  and  the  buffeting  of  pain ; 

Aye,  thousands  upon  thousands  quickly  slain — 

Three  Continents  a  charnel  house  indeed. 

They  fled  to  dens  and  caves  in  their  dire  need, 

To  mountain  fastness,  morass,  lonely  place. 

And  bread  was  scant,  they  dare  not  show  their  face, 

For  if  the  mark  of  Beast  beheld  not  there 

The  prison  house  and  grave!  so  wild  beast's  lair — 

Wherein  to  lurk — far  better  there  to  fight 

With  wild  beast  for  the  bone — for  human  sight 

More  terrible  than  beasts  to  meet  their  ken — 

For  truly  savage  now  were  Beast  marked  men. 

Hunting  of  men  with  bloodhounds  on  the  trail — 
Had  God  not  sheltered  them  there  soon  would  fail 
To  be  a  single  daring  Christian  left — 
Europe  of  Christianity  bereft! 
But  now  came  miracles  of  Heavenly  aid — 
Strengthening  of  souls,  so  men  were  not  afraid 
Of  speaking  boldly  in  The  Lord  Christ's  name 
When  taken  prisoners ;  so  the  sword  and  flame 
Again  had  Martyrs  as  in  Early  Days, 
The  cross,  the  gibbet,  and  fagot  blaze. 
And  the  arena's  sands  once  more  were  red — 
The  wild  beasts  maws  on  Christian  flesh  were  fed — 
While  laughed  the  gazing  populace  to  see 
The  loathsome  creatures  hold  blood  revelry — 
See  crouching  beasts  upon  the  human  spring — 
The  hated  Christians  cowering  in  the  ring 
The  men,  the  women,  and  the  infant  child — 
Rent,  torn  to  pieces,  for  the  beast  all  wild 
Kept  hungry  for  days  that  appetite 
Be  keener  for  the  victim  in  their  sight ; 
Oft'  when  the  wild  beast  gorged  with  human  blood 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  53 

Lay  down,  or  mingled  where  the  Christians  stood, 
Keen  arrows  sent  upon  unerring  way 
To  wound  the  beasts  to  madness,  not  to  slay — 
To  make  them  savage  from  their  cruel  pain 
'Til  not  one  left — but  every  Christian  slain. 

And  then  fell  on  the  world  an  Evil  time — 
Humanity  to  lips  were  steeped  in  crime 
With  sense  of  purity  entirely  lost — 
And  every  sense  of  honor  lightly  tossed 
From  out  the  human  as  a  worthless  thing, 
It  seemed  as  all  things  holy  took  to  wing — 
And  left  all  filth  and  nastiness  behind, 
A  poisonous  fungus  was  the  human  mind 
Where  in  the  blackness  of  the  darkness  dwelt — 
Darkness  of  sin  so  thick  as  to  be  felt — 
Where  every  loathsome  demon  came  and  dwelt — 
A  creature  of  vile  thoughts  that  ever  kept 
A  ribaldry  of  sin — and  never  slept 
As  glorying  to  live  in  loathsome  depth. 

For  the  New  God  gave  Passions  a  full  rein, 
(The  Ten  Commandments  now  were  held  all  vain — 
Poor  silly  laws  that  kept  the  human  in 
The  narrow  bounds — that  this,  not  that,  was  sin — 
That  the  great  passions  of  the  human  breast 
Must  to  their  very  death  be  all  suppressed)  — 
For-  Passions  made  for  joy  and  for  delight 
Not  held  in  check — from  touch,  from  taste,  from  sight, 
It  was  not  wrong  to  gaze  on  woman's  charms — 
To  hold  the  joy  of  beauty  in  the  arms. 
Revel  in  thoughts  rare  beauty  would  inspire, 
Not  quench  in  fasting  and  in  prayer,  desire ! 
No  harm  to  steal  if  you  of  quicker  brain 
Than  he  of  whom  you  did  a  prize  obtain — 
No  harm  to  lie  if  bitter  w^as  a  truth — 


54  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

And  as  to  murder,  was  it  harm  in  sooth 

To  free  a  sufferer  from  aching  pain — 

'Twere  surely  better  oft  some  one  was  slain 

Than  that  he  bar  your  pathway,  'twas  his  gain — 

To  rend  the  flesh  and  set  the  spirit  free — 

And  as  to  that  Jah  called  adultery — 

A  word  that  surely  now  was  obsolete — 

No  man  had  right  a  woman's  heart  to  greet 

In  Wifehood — without  giving  her  the  right 

To  enjoy  all  men  pleasant  to  her  sight — 

No  married  bonds  of  Love  should  be  a  chain 

And  woman's  right  to  love  or  to  refrain — 

Adultery  on  womanhood  no  stain. 

And  as  to  neighbor's  goods — why  for  should  he 

Have  more  than  you — 'twas  only  trickery 

In  grasping  no  doubt  that  which  made  him  rich- 

And  therefore  if  your  fingers  had  an  itch 

For  ought  of  his — it  was  no  harm  to  share 

His  houses,  cattle,  and  his  women  fair. 

And  so  the  olden  laws  were  cast  aside — 
Were  only  words  to  laugh  at,  and  deride — 
And  anarchy  of  morals  the  result. 
In  fact  was  introduced  a  nameless  cult 
That  those  who  joined  in  every  act  should  do 
What  Jah  said  not  to  do — the  human  grew 
In  wild  lasciviousness  of  thoughts  and  act 
More  low  than  very  lowest  beasts  in  fact. 
So  cheating  and  defrauding  grew  a  pace 
'Til  honesty  ashamed  to  show  her  face. 
For  honesty  a  jest — like  wild  beasts  men 
Strove  with  each  other  sharpest  brain  to  win — 
Outreaching  and  defrauding  stalked  as  bold 
As  simple  honesty  in  days  of  old. 
And  yet  large  trading  never  was  so  brisk, 
Each  trader  knew  there  was  a  certain  risk 


THE    ANTI-CHRIST  55 

In  all  transactions — but  it  seemed  to  each 

A  "trick  of  trade"  if  one  did  over  reach. 

It  was  "the  game" — that  daring  men  could  play — 

The  weaker  men  and  cowards  swept  away 

Within  the  maelstrom  and  the  rush  of  trade — 

Men  murdered  Righteousness  and  were  not  afraid. 

Who  told  the  truth — if  lies  would  do  as  well — 

None  hesitated  a  base  lie  to  tell 

If  aught  gained  in  the  telling — and  so  men 

For  gain,  for  pleasure,  or  for  spite,  to  win, 

Held  truth  a  very  burden  to  the  tongue — 

Burr  of  disgrace  that  to  their  nature  clung — 

And  smoothest  liar  had  a  high  renown — 

High  praise — ''The  foremost  Liar  of  the  ton'u!" 

But  why  relate  the  folhes  of  the  Race— 
O'er  Roman  land  in  every  spot  and  place 
The  greatly  honored  they  that  set  the  pace 
To  practice  what  of  old— men  held  disgrace. 
Humanity  was  Rotten  to  the  core — 
The  lowest  demons  surely  w^ere  no  more 
Debased,  degraded,  abject,  not  more  base— 
Than  those  who  once  were  called— A  Christian  Race. 
In  fact  the  Demons  were  amazed  to  see 
The  filthy  depths  of  man's  depravity — 
And  all  the  air  was  full  of  blasphemy ! 
For  never  since  the  spirit  brain  was  made 
Was  Blasphemy  as  This  Earth-God  brought  forth— 
E'en  Satan's  self  may  well  have  been  afraid. 
To  listen  to  the  outrage,  and  the  sport, 
INIade  of  Jehovah — laugh,  and  sneer,  and  taunt ! 
Which  well  the  lowest  depths  of  Hell  may  haunt 
But  this  Beast-God  all  mouthing  not  afraid. 

Yet  Jehovah  was  silent  and  no  finger  laid 
On  Beast  for  any  Blasphemy  he  said. 


56  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

He  let  the  Human  without  His  restraint 
Show  all  the  venom  and  the  direful  taint 
Of  Sin  within  the  Human  heart  and  brain — 
He  would  not  hinder.  He  would  not  restrain, 
The  Devil  in  his  mastery  o'er  men. 
Yea,  they  must  drain  the  chalice  of  all  sin, 
Drink  to  the  dregs — nor  leave  a  sip  behind, 
Now  let  the  hate  of  Satan  and  man's  mind 
Blossom,  as  to  perfection  without  flaw, 
Let  sin  triumphant  be  the  only  law ! 
And  all  Sin's  wishing  fully  satisfied 
So  that  no  deed  of  sinning  be  denied, 
To  show  to  all  created  Beings  to  what  end 
Unhindered  evil  would  most  surely  trend 
Wrecking  all  order,  seeking  no  redress, 
Thus  make  of  earth  a  howling  wilderness ! 

What  cloud  is  this  upon  a  sky  serene — 
What  cry  is  this  that  ringeth  sharply  keen — 
What  rift  is  this  in  Earth's  sweet  music  note, 
What  message  this  from  a  rebellious  throat ! 

From  Palestine  again  the  note  of  scorn ! 
In  every  age  this  Jew  has  been  a  thorn 
To  rankle  in  the  Gentile  heart  and  brain — 
Nor  even  now  their  venom  can  restrain 
Here  at  the  table — Feast  of  Nations  spread — 
A  Family  of  Nations  eating  bread, 
With  each  heart  beating  in  glad  unison, 
A  score  of  Nations  mingling  as  one, 
A  Feast  where  many  people  seek  sweet  rest, 
Behold,  once  more  the  old,  unbidden  guest 
With  tale  of  lamentation  and  of  woe, 
With  prophecy  Jehovah  would  bestow 
Most  dire  Destruction  on  the  Gentile  Race ! 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  57 

Well  may  men  shriek  that  this  is  out  of  place — 
Tho'  men  have  suffered  meekly  in  the  past 
But  now  this  threatening  must  end  at  last ! 
Go  tell  these  Jews  that  Europe,  in  one  breath, 
Demand  at  once  these  Witnesses  face  death ! 
If  not  then  to  the  Jew  be  warning  given 
That  even  should  Jehovah  come  from  Heaven 
He  shall  not  save  with  all  His  boasted  might — 
Most  certainly  the  Gentile  hand  shall  smite 
To  wreck  and  ruin  every  Jewish  place, 
Nor  leave  to  breathe  one  of  the  Jewish  Race. 

For,  lo,  of  sudden  in  Judea's  land 
Two  Witnesses  in  Temple  structure  stand — 
Jehovah's  messengers  sent  from  His  Face 
With  message  both  to  Jew  and  Gentile  race ! 

Who  were  they  ?  and  all  soon  the  rumor  spread — 
Behold,  two  men  arisen  from  the  dead ! 
Perchance,  that  their  own  Moses  one  of  them — 
The  other  lived  when  Israel's  diadem 
Rested  on  Ahab's  brow — Elijah — he 
Prophet  of  Israel's  apostasy. 
Grand  men  were  they  but  with  no  tinge  of  age, 
Grim  centuries  in  vain  beat  with  their  rage — 
The  forms  all  stalwart — with  the  strength  of  youth — 
Time  left  not  on  them  touch  of  hand,  nor  tooth, 
And  in  their  eyes  the  vigor  of  the  sun. 
Surely  all  quickly,  breathless  audience  won — 
A  mighty  multitude  who  crowded  near, 
So  when  the  Jewish  leaders  did  appear 
They  straightway  told  the  message  that  they  brought. 
And  surely  here  no  mincing  words  that  sought 
To  curry  favor  of  a  single  one 
From  Beggar  to  the  King  of  Babylon ! 


58  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

They  told  how  dawning  now  the  Latter  Days — 
And  from  the  page  of  old  Prophetic  Lays 
They  culled  the  messages  of  long  ago 
Proclaiming  lamentations  and  dire  woe 
To  burst  upon  the  world,  and  on  the  Race, 
The  Race  that  mocked  Jehovah  to  His  face — 
Gentile  and  Jew  His  Only  Son  had  slain. 
Laughed  at  His  Christ,  had  held  His  claims  in  vain — 
Nor  would  they  have  Jah's  Son  o'er  them  to  reign. 
The  Reckoning  hour  at  last  had  surely  come, 
Jehovah  and  PIis  Christ  no  longer  dumb — 
The  ending  of  the  Gentile  Age  all  nigh — 
The  Roman  Empire  in  its  last  fell  phase 
Of  grand  Apostasy  in  these  fell  days 
Fully  revealed  to  every  human  eye. 

This  one  whom  men  called  Csesar  was  the  Beast 
Of  Daniel  and  Apocalypse  to  stand, 
The  entire  Roman  World  at  his  command 
Would  worship  Satan  as  their  Lord  and  King, 
Himself — The  "wild-Beast"  be  proclaimed  Divine — 
While  the  False  Prophet  would  their  praises  sing 
And  with  great  miracle  and  luring  sign 
Would  blind  the  nations  to  the  bitter  end. 

And  now  were  here  the  days  of  Jewish  woe — 
The  "Time  of  Jacob's  trouble/'  they  should  know 
None  could  deliver  them  but  God  alone! 
So  He  had  sent  this  message  from  His  throne — 
For  surely  He  was  yet  their  God  and  Friend. 
This  message  to  the  highest  and  the  least. 

Lo,  who  so  ever  zvorshipeth  this  Beast, 
His  Image — or  receive  his  marking  brand 
Upon  his  forehead,  or  in  his  right  hand, 
Shall  drink  the  wine  of  God's  eternal  wrath — 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  59 

Wrath  without  mixture  hissing  in  the  cup — 

Christ's  unmixed  indignation  shall  drink  up, 

And  szvift  destruction  blast  him  from  Earth's  path — 

Lost  in  the  Pit — from  zvhence  is  no  return — 

In  fire  and  brimstone  ever  more  to  burn — 

Smoke  of  their  torment  ever  more  ascending 

Eons  of  Ages — which  shall  have  no  ending! 

And  now  the  nighthour  of  the  Jewish  age 
Clearly  set  forth  upon  Prophetic  Page — 
But  he  who  trusts  Jehovah  and  His  Christ 
Shall  be  preserved  through  Antichristian  rage — 
And  in  few  years  shall  be  the  Royal  tryst 
Of  The  Lord  Christ  and  Israel's  chosen  Race — 
The  King  at  last  shall  come  unto  His  own — 
All  Israel  gathered  to  their  ancient  place 
Never  again  to  be  disturbed  from  there. 
Times  of  refreshing  for  earth,  sea,  and  air, 
He  shall  bring  with  Him,  and  on  David's  throne 
Shall  rule  the  world,  and  making  wars  to  cease — 
So  for  a  thousand  years  the  universal  Peace. 

Who  can  conceive  of  mad  astonishment 
Like  trees  in  storm  Rulers  of  Israel  bent 
With  anger,  hate,  and  dread  their  spirit  rent — 
Only  one  third  believed  the  message  sent — 
And  fierce  and  fast  w^ild  words  of  anger  thrown 
Against  the  two  who  had  cursed  Caesar's  throne. 
The  rulers  mostly,  with  an  ashen  face, 
All  terror  stricken  to  have  such  disgrace 
Cast  upon  Caeser,  let  their  wrath  flow  out 
Grim  malediction  winged  words  of  mouth — 
Seize  them  and  stone  them,  was  the  angry  cry, 
But  when  to  do  such  bidding  men  rush  nigh 
The  Witnesses  threw  up  the  warning  hand : 


60  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

''Back,  men  of  Israel,  from  place  we  stand, 
Or  be  God's  vengeance  surely  on  each  head, 
Who  touch  our  garments  surely  shall  expire, 
Our  words  shall  surely  bring  consuming  fireT 

But  some  despising  of  the  words  they  said 
With  words  of  fury  rushed  on  to  their  death — 
As  willed  The  Two — a  fiery  flying  breath 
Seemed  from  their  words  the  rushing  foe  to  greet- 
Alas,  they  soon  were  numbered  with  the  dead, 
For,  Lo,  but  heap  of  ashes  at  men's  feet! 

Still  others  with  wild  oaths  of  vengeance  rushed 
To  burn  to  ashes — so  their  fury  hushed. 

Then  consternation — and  the  angry  flood 

Of  men  fell  back  from  where  alone  now  stood 

The  Witnesses  who  were  in  sackcloth  clad. 

And  some  poor  souls  who  were  in  deed  most  glad 
Jehovah  had  at  last  long  silence  broken. 
And  the  two  Witnesses  indeed  His  token 
That  Israel  would  surely  be  redeemed, 
And  not  in  vain  the  prophets  wrote  and  dreamed, 
They  crowded  round  the  Witnesses  with  tears 
Of  blessed  joy — without  the  thought  of  fears 
And  clasping  Witnesses  by  hands  and  dress 
Laughed  happy  tears  of  glorious  happiness. 

And  now  was  Israel  a  divided  Race — 
Two  thirds  afraid  that  truly  this  disgrace 
Cast  upon  Caesar  would  his  wrath  arouse. 
So  they  that  did  of  Caesar's  cause  espouse 
Took  Counsel  to  suppress  outgoing  news — 
For  surely  life  and  fortune  they  may  lose 
If  this  indignity  to  Caesar  known, 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST 


6i 


Then  quickly  Jewish  Leaders  overthrown 
For  blood,  life  blood,  and  surely  such  alone, 
Could  for  so  dire  an  insult  e'er  atone. 

And  surely  Jewish  Rulers  sore  afraid- 
No  matter  what  the  means  their  craft  assayed 
They  could  not  shut  the  mouths,  or  slay  their  toes- 
Assassins  tracked  their  steps  for  deadly  close 
But  ever  failed— and  when  the  hundreds  sent 
They  were  no  nearer  to  their  fell  intent— 
Who  ever  came  anigh  or  touched  their  dress 
Became  a  heap  of  ashes— so  distress 
Made  rulers  frantic— and  they  knew  not  where 
To  turn  for  help  in  this  their  grim  despair. 

Who  joined  the  Witnesses  were  Cesar's  foes ! 
But  will  and  craft  would  quickly  conquer  those, 
And  so  the  Ruler's  hate  went  out  to  them,  ^ 

They  should  feel  vengeance,  swift,  and  keen,  and  grim , 
But  here  again  hopes  shattered  by  defeat 
Their  failure  quickly  visible,  complete, 
They  were  immune— as  guarded  by  strong  hand— 
Who  could  invisible  a  power  command 
That  held  each  person  sacred  who  had  laid 
Their  hands  in  Witnesses,  and  not  afraid 
To  renounce  C^sar  and  his  deadly  power. 
Ah,  but  the  Rulers'  terror  in  this  hour 
Was  verv  bitter— and  their  hearts  all  quailed 
For  all  their  thoughts,  and  acts,  and  hate  had  failed. 

Grim  "Trouhlers  of  Israel"  at  first, 
But  now  the  fury  of  all  Europe  burst 
On  the  Two  Witnesses— for  they  had  laid 
On  Europe  famine's  curse— and  they  had  made 
Determined  opposition  to  The  King— 
Tho'  even  demon  ridden  there  would  cling 


62  •      THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

To  hearts  of  men  a  haunting  of  wild  fear — 
Why  did  their  Great  King  let  thbse  men  appear 
So  openly  defiant  to  his  sway — 
He  did  blaspheme  and  threatened  he  would  slay 
But  why  indeed  this  terrible  delay — 
Why  did  he  keep  away  from  Jewish  land — 
Tho'  he  sent  warriors  of  high  command, 
Of ttimes  empowered  secret  assassin's  hand ; 
Yet  The  Two  Witnesses  unfearing  stood 
Tho'  round  them  cursed  a  fury  maddened  flood 
Of  Jew  and  Gentile  with  unbated  breath, 
By  Fair  or  foul,  to  rend  or  blast  to  death. 
But  how  were  men  to  conquer  such  grim  foes 
They  never  hungered — never  craved  repose — 
But  ever,  ever,  wandering  to  and  fro — 
Men  could  not  make  their  footsteps  fast  nor  slow- 
And  ever  more  pronouncing  Doom  and  Woe ! 
The  steel,  the  bullet — and  the  bomb  of  hate 
No  power  to  slay — nor  make  them  to  rebate 
Their  bitter  hatred  to  the  glorious  King. 
Science  stood  baffled,  could  no  death  shaft  bring. 
They  were  immuned  from  Death  and  Suffering. 

Defiance  first  confined  to  Jewish  land — 
And  surely  news  at  first  by  his  command 
Suppressed  nor  hinted  at  by  public  press, 
A  local  matter  he  would  soon  redress  ; 
But  when  it  grew  more  rampant  day  by  day 
Thousands  of  Jews  protesting  at  his  sway — 
Ah,  who  could  can  tell  the  anger  of  his  soul — 
And  were  he  not  in  Satan's  dire  control 
He  had  rushed  madly  in  Imperial  might 
To  sweep  the  Jewish  Race  from  human  sight. 
But  Satan  knew  full  well  he  had  not  power 
The  Witnesses  to  slay  before  set  hour 
Jehovah  had  appointed — until  then 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  63 

The  Witnesses  immuned  from  hate  of  men. 

So  Satan  held  him  back  from  the  disgrace 

Which  surely  would  have  come  had  he  dared  face 

Jehovah's  Witnesses  before  the  hour 

Jehovah  willed  for  the  Satanic  power ! 

Surely  from  Caesar  Satan  hid  that  hour — 

Yet  still  must  notice  such  an  insult  dire — 

And  no  doubt  Satan  did  the  words  inspire; 

He  gave  the  Jews  a  little  space  to  slay 

The  Witnesses — if  not  on  certain  day — 

He  to  Jerusalem  would  surely  go, 

And  in  the  face  of  all  the  Nations  show, 

Jehovah's  Witnesses  no  more  to  him 

Than  prey  to  lion  tearing  limb  from  limb. 

Then  woe  be  to  the  Jews  all  slack  to  slay — 

They  surely  did  all  loyalty  betray — 

Lips  service  only  theirs — Jew  loyalty 

Consisted  but  in  words  and  bended  knee — 

At  heart  all  traitors — and  so  as  traitors  dealth 

Their  lives  be  forfeited  as  well  as  wealth ! 

Tho'  step  by  step  we  may  not  closely  trace 
The  Beast's  dire  way  to  end  of  fell  disgrace — 
Yet  from  the  various  touches  thus  revealed, 
(Tho'  some  to  human  knowledge  still  concealed), 
On  the  Prophetic  Word  some  acts  are  traced 
In  glowing  words  that  can  not  be  effaced. 
Strange  that  the  books  God  gave  to  he  men's  guide 
Are  cast  aside  in  our  proud  Gentile  pride — 
Daniel,  Apocalypse,  are  held  as  books 
That  should  be  read  as  if  by  scanty  looks — 
And  so  the  Gentile  churches'  eyes  are  blind 
To  their  great  Mission — and  they  fain  would  find 
The  Anglo  Saxon  taking  highest  place — 
Hold  ever  Israel  in  dire  disgrace, 
And  win  the  world  for  Christ  in  their  own  way. 


64  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

For  neither  Christ,  nor  the  Apostles  say, 

His  church  should  win  a  universal  sway! 

The  Church  misread  the  scriptures  Old  and  New, 

For  Centuries  a  wrong  conclusion  drezv — 

Led  by  the  Devil — they  make  daring  claim 

They  are  to  zvin  for  Christ  a  world  wide  fame — 

Bring  all  the  World  to  own  His  Blessed  Name. 

With  brazen  ignorance  they  proudly  boast 

The  Church  must  press  on  as  a  conquering  Host 

'Til  all  the  world  is  won.    And  so  the  fools 

Have  been  to  Satan  ever  ready  tools 

To  blind  themselves  and  all  the  world  beside. 

Lo,  all  God's  promises  to  Jews  denied — 

And  so  made  void  the  ancient  prophecies, 

Professing  churches  settled  on  their  lees 

Dreaming  of  victory — and  not  defeat. 

So  Antichristian  Days  are  all  ignored, 

Hidden  by  Devil's  platitudes  all  sweet. 

The  Jewish  Nation  ne'er  shall  be  restored ! 

And  so  professing  Churches  lurch  their  way 

To  end  in  wreck,  and  ruin,  and  dismay. 

Christ  asked  His   Church   to  preach   the   Glorious 

news — 
Stating  some  would  accept  and  some  refuse — 
Proclaim  the  Blessed  Gospel  of  His  Grace 
In  every  land,  to  each  of  every  race. 
That  by  His  Blood  all  Law  is  satisfied — 
For  each  indeed  The  Lord  of  Glory  died, 
Salvation  is  a  gift  and  free  to  all 
Who  will  believe  and  on  The  Lord  Christ  call. 

'Twas  Gospel  of  His  Grace  and  not  His  reign — 
Nor  said  by  single  word  they  would  obtain 
A  victory  o'er  the  World,  'til  His  return! 
The  Church  His  Witness  as  a  light  to  burn 
Amid  the  world's  darkness — to  abide 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  65 

And  wish  His  coming  as  a  Faithful  Bride 
Who  waited  for  the  coming  of  her  Lord — 
This  was  her  mission — and  The  Holy  Word 
Contains  no  promise  that  The  Church  alone 
Without  His  presence  win  Earth  as  His  Throne. 

Had  the  Church  listened  to  Her  Glorious  Lord, 
List  to  the  simple  message  of  His  Word — 
She  had  not  been  the  laughing  stock  of  Earth — 
Target  she  stands  for  atheistic  mirth — 
And  brought  discredit  on  the  Christly  fame — 
Her  failure  is  apparent  to  all  eyes — 
For  all  her  vapid  boasting,  and  her  lies, 
That  she  would  conquer  in  Christ's  Blessed  Name 
The  whole  wide  world — proves  but  an  empty  boast — 
Confusion  and  dissension  mid  her  host. 
For  in  late  years  she  kept  not  even  pace 
With  the  birth  rate  of  olden  Heathen  Race, 
They  multiplied  too  fast — she  lagged  behind — 
She  may  as  well  have  whistled  down  the  wind — 
And  so  men  pricked  the  gas  bags  of  her  boasts 
And  there  grew  questionings  amid  her  hosts — 
A  shifting  of  her  doctrines — the  dispute 
If  the  Blood  theory  were  indeed  the  Truth — 
Were  man  mistaken  to  the  Great  World  loss 
As  to  His  sacrifice  upon  the  Cross  1 
Was  He  Sin  Bearer  upon  Calvary — 
Or  simply  as  Example  suffered  He! 
Was  He  true  God — or  simply  Blessed  Man — 
And  was  this  preaching  of  Salvation's  plan 
All  foreign  to  His  mission  and  design, 
And  simply,  early  Fathers  made  Divine. 
And  this  neglecting  of  The  Flesh  for  soul — 
The  saving  of  the  Soul  was  that  the  whole 
One  duty  of  the  Church — and  what  was  sin 
A  crime — or  simple  ignorance  in  men — 


66  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

And  was  man  fallen  utterly — and  vile 
Unworthy  of  God's  welcoming  and  smile. 

And  at  a  time  appointed,  Caesar  goes 
To  meet  in  single  conquest  these  grim  foes — 
So  to  Jerusalem  in  pomp  and  state 
Ten  Kings  and  all  his  Princes,  hearts  elate 
That  these  two  Witnesses  should  bite  the  dust — 
And  so  the  World  put  a  still  greater  trust 
In  Satan's  Son — for  such  he  stood  revealed. 

The  Witnesses  who  knew  their  doom  was  sealed. 
That  Days  of  witnessing  had  run  their  course, 
Made  no  resistance  to  his  armed  force. 
But  calmly  with  a  sterner  grahdeur  trod 
Into  the  presence  of  this  Base  Born  God — 
So  met  their  doom — by  Anarchist  were  slain. 

Now  the  Great  World  as  freed  from  a  mad  pain 
Burst  out  in  thunder  of  glad,  wild  acclaim, 
For  this  had  won  to  Caesar's  sacred  name, 
If  that  were  possible,  a  Mightier  fame! 
The  World  stood  as  on  tiptoe  to  rejoice. 
Good  cheer,  and  hearty  greetings  in  each  voice, 
And  as  the  wires  ran  out  to  tell  the  tale 
That  Caesar  did  o'er  Witnesses  prevail. 
It  seemed  as  if  one  universal  cry 
In  mighty  thunders  ran  around  the  Earth 
Laughter  and  song,  and  revelings,  and  mirth ; 
Glad  messages  were  sent  from  friend  to  friend. 
All  costly  presents  did  rejoicers  send. 
And  Roman  Earth  kept  royal  holiday. 

Nor  would  God-Caesar  lay  the  slain  away 
But  openly  displayed  before  the  eye — 
Came  Nobles,  Princes,  wealthy  men,  to  see, 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  67 

The  Great,  the  noble  of  Humanity, 

To  gloat  o'er  bodies  of  the  fallen  foe 

As  they  indeed  had  been  a  royal  show. 

And,  lo,  the  third,  it  was  a  Gala  Day,. 

With  vast  munificence  and  great  display 

The  Great  Ambassadors  of  Nations  came, 

Saw  Caesar's  Glory — and  Jehovah's  shame. 

For  Christ  a  silent  Heaven,  a  silent  Earth — 

For  Caesar  it  was  revelry  and  mirth; 

For  Christ — 'twas  ignominy  and  dire  disgrace — 

Lo,  not  a  follower  dare  show  his  face — 

Satan  had  conquered,  reigned  supreme  o'er  all, 

The  Mighty  Nations  not  afraid  to  fall 

In  worship — adoration  to  His  Son 

The  Csesar-God  who  had  this  triumph  won. 

Was  it  high  noon — when  blasphemy  at  height, 
The  gathered  Kings  of  Europe  at  his  feet — 
And  the  slain  Witnesses  in  all  men's  sight — 
God-Caesar's  victory  indeed  complete. 

Lo,  not  a  cloud  on  the  blue  Syrian  sky — 
All  suddenly  came  ringing  from  on  high 
A  voice  that,  trumpet  like,  smote  every  ear : 
"Come  up  hither  !" 

Sudden  dismay  and  fear 
Held  voiceless  millions — suddenly  from  bier 
Arose  the  Witnesses  in  life,  in  strength. 
And  to  high  Heaven,  as  on  the  wind,  they  went, 
Followed  by  awe  struck,  horror  stricken  eyes — 
Then  vanished — hidden  by  the  clear  blue  skies. 

Then  e'er  astonishment  had  time  to  speak — 
Lo !  blanched  an  awful  horror  on  each  cheek — 
'Twould  seem  as  if  the  very  earth  beneath 
Shivering  in  terror,  heaving  neath  their  feet — 
And  a  great  earthquake  held  them  in  its  power ! 


68  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

Lo,  seven  thousand  perished  in  that  hour — 
The  mighty  nobles,  Princes,  were  the  prey 
Of  wreck  and  ruin  on  this  fatal  day — 
The  buildings  and  their  walls  rocked  to  and  fro — 
One  tenth  of  the  Great  City  spread  below 
Its  grandeur  and  its  beauty  at  men's  feet. 

Then  were  mad  rushings — shouting  in  each  street — 
Crowds  terror  stricken  and  in  wild  afifright — 
The  bravest  were  most  reckless  in  their  flight — 
And  the  one  thought  supreme  in  Gentile  mind 
To  fly  and  leave  this  cursed  place  behind ! 

Did  Caesar  veil  his  vast  astonishment — 
Sullen  and  scowling  in  the  rush  he  went 
As  willing  captive — or  as  one  hemmed  in 
By  the  surrounding  horror  stricken  men — 
And  so  in  spite  of  self — upon  the  plain 
Gathered  his  stricken  Cohorts  once  again. 
But  surely  not  a  daring  of  his  fate 
He  sought  no  more  to  open  City's  Gate. 
Between  the  Seas  was  spread  the  Royal  tent — 
A  place  of  savage  anger — discontent. 
And  so  the  shadow  of  the  evening  falls 
Without  a  Gentile  within  Jewish  walls — 
Jerusalem — without  a  single  foe 
Yet  without  hope — for  on  the  plains  below 
Tho'  shattered  now,  foes  hurry  to  and  fro — 
The  Jewish  heart  was  stricken  at  the  sight. 

But  suddenly  as  from  the  tomb  of  night — 
From  cellars  and  from  caves  brave  hearts  appeared 
And  with  great  swelling  words  their  brothers  cheered. 

Be  men,  O  Israel — our  God  is  nigh — 
It  was  His  voice  that  spake  from  yonder  sky — 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST  69 

Christ,  the  Messiah,  cometh  to  our  aid — 

Of  Gentile  zvratJi  he  not  your  hearts  afraid. 

Up,  let  us  close  the  gates,  and  hold  at  bay 

The  stricken  Gentile — for  the  coming  day 

Of  Christ  Jehovah's  Power  is  surely  nigh! 

So  let  our  hearts  to  every  grief  he  dumb — 

Is  it  not  zvrit:  'Our  God  shall  shall  surely  come!' 

We  are  all  precious  in  Jehovah's  eye — 

Hath  He  not  sworn,  'A  Remnant  shall  not  die!'" 

And  so  Jerusalem  with  trembling  hands 
Closed  to  its  gates — defying  Roman  lands — 
Flung  from  the  Citadel  of  Zion's  tower 
The  flag  of  David,  token  once  of  power, 
Had  not  that  banner  flouted  many  a  breeze 
When  their  Jehovah  crushed  all  enemies ! 
The  Flag  of  David — hailed  the  setting  sun 
A  Herald  of  the  victory  to  be  won ! 

Like  Lion  wounded  by  a  rankling  shaft, 
Driven  to  his  doom  in  spite  of  strength  and  craft, 
Trembling,  yet  maddened  by  impotent  rage, 
Blindly  determined  without  hope  to  wage 
In  bitterness  of  death  with  growl  and  blow 
Seeking  to  rend  or  frighten  closing  foe, 
So  now  was  Caesar  from  the  City  driven 
Swore  in  his  heart,  The  Jew  all  unforgiven 
Should  know  more  than  the  bitterness  of  death ! 
And  every  throbbing  of  blaspheming  breath 
Poured  maledictions  on  the  cursed  race 
With  wrath  that  never  once  should  slack  its  pace 
'Til  not  a  Jew  upon  the  world's  broad  face ! 

And  as  he  foamed,  behold,  a  message  came 
Smiting  his  soul  as  if  Sirocco  flame 
Had  shriveled  all  the  great  hopes  of  his  pride — 


70  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

He  put  the  message  with  a  sneer  aside — 
Tidings  like  this — a  fooHsh  dastard  he, 
Who  e'er  dictated  first  should  surely  die. 
But  came  another — still  another  post — 
And  on  his  lips  died  the  imperial  boasts — 
And  this  the  tidings :    "Eastern  Barbaric  Hosts 
Are  rushing  fast  to  sack  your  Babylon!'' 
And  so  before  the  setting  of  the  sun 
He  knew  the  Hordes  of  Asia  on  their  way 
To  pillage,  plunder,  ruthlessly  to  slay, 
Millions  on  millions :  so  the  message  read — 
From  every  quarter  messages  the  same — 
The  lure  of  plunder  hordes  of  Asia  led 
To  bring  on  Babylon  both  death  and  shame. 
Lo,  now  a  double  purpose  winged  his  words — 
His  heart  cried  out  to  hear  the  ring  of  swords 
For  mightiest  War  which  ever  shook  the  earth — 
His  heart  rang  out  in  glad  responsive  mirth — 
Millions  should  answer  to  his  battle  cry — 
His  smoke  of  sacking  darken  all  the  sky — 
His  horses  wading  in  red  human  blood 
To  lave  in  such  was  surely  welcome  flood — 
His  soul  cried  out  for  blood  shed  without  stint — 
The  gathering  of  all  Europe  his  intent 
To  strike  at  first  the  Jews  accursed  face, 
And  after  that  the  Asiatic  Race 
Should  feel  the  terror  of  his  mighty  wrath ! 
When  Babylon's  wild  foes  swept  from  his  path 
The  whole  of  Asia  should  bow  down  to  him. 
And  he  in  truth  should  wear  Earth's  diadem, 
For  not  a  Nation,  but  should  be  o'erthrown, 
His  double  headed  eagle  float  o'er  throne!* 

And  then  his  heart  conceived  a  wondrous  thing- 
He  would  show  Jah,  and  Man,  he  was  a  King. 
Lo,  armed  millions  should  fight  men  as  foes, 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST  71 

While  in  more  dark  and  deadly,  awful  close, 

The  Demons  should  meet  Angels  in  their  hate, 

Then  Wrong  or  Right  be  driven  to  its  fate — 

And  so  Jehovah  challenged  to  a  fight ! 

Yea,  let  Christ  and  His  Angels  come  to  sight — 

Then  such  a  war  as  never  yet  beheld 

Undreamed  of  e'en  by  Satan  in  far  eld — 

Exterminating  war,  and  that  alone, 

Twixt  himself  and  The  Christ  for  The  World's 

throne — 
While  Satan  and  Jehovah  for  the  rest — 
So  let  their  strength  decide  who  was  the  best. 

So  over  Europe  ran  his  battle  cry — 
All  quickly  Europe  made  its  mad  reply: 
"To  Arms !  To  arms !  The  Flower  of  Europe's  Race ! 
Lo,  Palestine  the  first  grand  meeting  place  !'* 

His  fretting  soul  had  wished  an  eagle's  wing 
The  strength  of  Europe  to  this  place  to  bring, 
To  stamp  out  of  the  land  all  Jewish  breed, 
And  not  one  single  soul  be  left  indeed, 
Child,  Woman,  Man,  not  one  of  them  be  spared — 
They  in  their  foolish  venom  hand  had  reared 
To  thwart  his  high  designs — and  on  his  name 
Put  stamp  indelible  that  blasted  fame — 
Their  blood  alone  could  wipe  out  such  a  shame 

Lo,  Satan  sent  his  messengers  abroad, 
Deceiving  with  their  lying  and  base  fraud. 
Telling  the  Human,  that  the  Glorious  hour 
Was  near  the  dawn  when  Lucifer's  Great  Power 
Would  crush  Jehovah  in  a  fatal  close! 
Jehovah  and  His  Angels,  men's  fell  foes. 
Be  driven  to  grim  disaster  and  defeat; 
In  a  short  time  Demons  and  Angels  meet, 


72  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

Then  Satan  be  triumphant — then  the  race 

Of  men  and  Demons  occupy  high  place 

Where  now  Jehovah  sitteth,  nursing  wrath 

To  strike  both  men  and  Demons  from  His  path ! 

Jehovah  ever  the  grim  foe  of  men 

Would  hunt  them  to  despair  in  preaching  Sin — 

Their  pains  and  aches  were  pleasant  to  His  sight — 

His  aim  to  hold  in  miserable  plight — 

He  loved  to  see  their  misery  and  tears. 

Yea,  He  had  now  fooled  men  six  thousand  years 

Posing  before  them  as  their  constant  friend — 

Now  if  He  were — why  should  not  sufferings  end — 

But,  lo,  six  thousands  years  above  men's  head — 

'Twas  devastation,  suffering,  care,  dread! 

Then  up  for  Lucifer's  and  human  cause. 
No  puritanical,  stern,  foolish  laws. 
But  freedom  for  The  Passions,  and  full  rein 
To  ask  all  Pleasure  and  the  boon  obtain ; 
And  men,  like  Demons,  must  be  free  indeed 
In  thought,  in  word,  in  daring,  and  in  deed. 

"To  Arms !  To  arms !"  from  heart  to  lip  it  ran — 
Europe  became  as  if  a  single  man 
Stood  for  the  Nations — with  a  heart  a  fire 
Obeying  Lucifer  the  sole  desire. 
Making  his  cause  o'er  everything  supreme. 
From  Factory,  store,  and  farm,  flowed  out  one  stream 
Of  fiery  furies  with  one  end  in  sight — 
To  aid  Prince  Satan  in  this  nearing  fight. 

For  Europe  when  she  cast  The  Christ  aside 
Believing  not  that  He  had  lived  or  died. 
Scouting  all  thought  of  GoD-head  to  His  name, 
Aye,  coupling  to  His  birth  a  word  of  shame. 
Renouncing  all  allegiance  to  His  cause — 
Apostate  to  His  teachings  and  His  laws — 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST  73 

From  lip  to  lip  the  fierce  defiance  flew 
Crying  to  heaven  with  mad  thoughts  quivering: 
''We  will  not  have  this  man  to  be  our  King, 
We  will  not  have  as  God  tJiis  long  dead  Jew!" 
His  Christ  rejected — God  kept  silent  then — 
And  let  Prince  Satan  with  his  lying  win, 
The  thoughts  and  the  affection  of  lost  men ; 
He  stood  as  'twere  aside.    The  Silent  One 
To  see  how  far  would  Satan  lead  men  on. 

So  when  war  cloud  flushed  all  the  Eastern  sky — 
When  all  of  Europe  heard  his  warning  cry 
The  want  of  arms  now  felt  in  all  the  West — 
And  every  man  strove  for  to  form  the  best — 
The  pruning  hook  was  sharpened  to  fierce  spear. 
The  plows  were  beaten  until  swords  appear, 
Iron  and  steel  again  in  furnace  blast 
From  whence  grim  cannon  were  once  more  recast. 
Men  cursed  The  Hague,  its  councils,  and  its  fools! 
Europe  went  mad  in  shaping  warlike  tools. 
An  arsenal  was  Europe  now  indeed, 
And  Dainty  women,  giving  little  heed 
To  dress  or  fashion,  took  indeed  the  lead 
Of  shaping  war  munitions  of  all  kinds ; 
Alert  and  quick  in  daring  and  in  skill 
Men  worked  and  toiled  with  iron  in  their  will. 
War  and  war  weapons  only  on  their  minds, 
Their  labors  were  titanic  in  their  sweep. 
And  not  aloof  did  any  woman  keep 
The  maid,  the  matron,  all  had  work  to  do. 
Loving  and  faithfully  they  did  it  too. 

"To  Arms  !  To  Arms  !"  Matrons  and  maidens  young 
Sprang  up  with  this  wild  cry  upon  their  tongue, 
Forgetting  modesty — they  sold  their  charms 
To  any  bidder  who  would  give  them  arms — 


74  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

For  what  was  virtue  but  a  silly  thing! 

And   women  justified  in  trafficking! 

"To  Arms  !  To  Arms  !"  at  morning,  noon  and  night, 

Lo,  night  was  banished  with  electric  light 

As  men  went  mad  to  make  them  arms  of  fight. 

"To  Arms !  To  Arms !"  and  willing  hearts  and  hands 
Saved  not  their  toiling  over  Europe's  lands — 
Weapons  of  warfare  every  hand  prepared — 
In  every  village  furnace  stack  uprared — 
The  clack  of  anvils  never  died  away 
'Twas  over  Europe  one  continuous  day — 
Night  had  no  shadow  with  electric  blaze. 
Men  halted  not  at  ending  of  the  days — 
'Twas  one  continuous  fashioning  of  steel — 
'Twas  furnace  blast  which  ever  flushed  the  sky — 
Men  grew  titanic,  as  they  did  not  feel 
The  want  nor  wishing  in  their  bed  to  lie — 
'Twas  fury  in  the  hand,  and  in  the  eye, 
'Twas  furious,  unrelenting,  grimy  toil — 
Blood  at  white  heat,  that  ever  seemed  to  boil 
As  fed  by  fire  unquenchable,  a  force 
That  held  the  throbbing  nerves  in  steady  course 
Of  toiling — oft  exhausted  brain  gave  way 
And  work  of  love  dropped  from  the  hands  of  clay — 
But  this  was  dying  in  a  noble  cause — 
And  never  for  an  instant  work  must  pause 
The  work  snatched  up  e'er  former  worker  died — 
While  scores  of  others  for  the  toiling  cried. 

And  now  was  eager,  breathless  haste  betrayed — 
Embargo  on  the  ships  of  trading  made. 
Crafts  of  all  kind — the  largest  and  the  best 
To  tiny  boat  that  scarcely  rode  sea  crest; 
But  Europe  crowded  with  her  fighting  men 
The  railways  ran  with  ever  faster  speed. 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  75 

Unceasing  night  and  day  the  marching  din 

But  ships  and  railways  answered  not  their  need. 

Lo,  every  highway  running  to  the  East 

Crowded  with  carriages — and  every  beast 

Which  could  bear  men  to  Palestine's  fell  shore ; 

And  then  mixed  multitudes  of  every  size 

The  like  of  it  shall  never  be  seen  more, 

Such  rabble  ne'er  before  to  human  eyes 

Crowded  all  highways — ever  marching  feet 

From  Cities,  towns,  and  hamlets,  from  far  West, 

On  to  the  East  with  sullen  thunder  beat — 

Tho'  ofttimes  faint — yet  onward  still  they  pressed. 

Aged  had  no  reckoning,  and  youth  no  bound, 

Men,  women,  children  ever  pressing  round 

The  floating  banner  of  their  beckoning  God, 

Through  deep  morass,  o'er  dizzy  height  they  trod. 

Mid  hunger,  thirsty,  with  torn  and  bloody  feet. 

A  swelling  tide  where  ever  cross  roads  meet — 

Behold  from  either  hand  they  come,  they  come, 

With  clarion  cry  and  roll  of  mighty  drum. 

'Twould  look  as  Europe  vomited  her  race 

And  turned  to  Palestine  the  scowling  face — 

Whole  towns  deserted — in  some  Cities  left 

Only  sick  and  dying,  infants  bereft 

Of  mother's  thought  and  care — Mothers  outran 

Even  the  men  to  be  in  battle  van ; 

If  Palestine  were  Heaven — the  rushing  feet 

On  this  fell  march  could  never  be  more  fleet. 

For  Demon  led  was  every  human  breast 

That  onward  to  destruction  madly  pressed ; 

'Twas  very  madness  such  invading  host 

Full  of  their  mouthing  blasphemy  and  boast. 

For  e'er  their  feet  had  reached  the  distant  place 

Their    God's    trained    Soldiers    would    meet    Jewish 

Race — 
Grinding  to  powder  neath  Imperial  heel. 


y(i  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

But  useless  to  such  rabble  make  appeal — 
Their  ever  wild,  increasing,  angry  prayer, 
That  they  could  only  meet  the  Jew  Christ  there 
And  shatter  all  His  Angels  in  their  wrath — 
Their  constant  prayer  that  He  may  cross  their  path. 

Lo,  soon  his  Cohorts  filled  The  Holy  Land 
On  mountain,  plain  and  valley,  his  command 
Like  locust  covered  as    i  were  each  place 
'Til  all  of  Palestine  one  hissing  face 
Set  to  wild  blasphemy  and  threats  of  hate. 

And  like  a  helpless  one,  and  desolate, 
The  solitary  City  floated  still 
The  flag  of  David  on  Mount  Zion's  hill. 

On  to  his  doom  the  proud  Assyrian  goes, 
Thinking  no  power  on  earth  can  now  oppose — 
And  should  he  meet  with  Heaven  in  his  path 
He  would  most  surely  dare  it  in  his  wrath. 
Nearer,  and  nearer  to  Jerusalem, 
Most  hated  of  all  spots  on  Earth  to  him — 
The  place  of  his  defeat,  and  his  disgrace, 
But  in  his  wrath  he  surely  would  efface 
From  off  the  earth,  nor  leave  a  wall  to  tell 
Where  Israel's  hated  Race  had  dared  to  dwell. 
Ages  ago  the  Grand  Prophetic  Seer 
Beheld  his  pathway — and  has  shown  it  clear 
Marked  every  halting  place  along  the  line — 
Unerring  pathway  marked  by  pen  Divine: — 

"He  moves  to  Aiath — and  Migron  head's  his  feet — 
His  carriages  at  Michmash  put  aside, 
Crosses  the  passages  where  waters  meet 
And  for  a  time  at  Geba  will  abide; 
Lo,  Ramah's  dzvellers  surely  are  afraid, 
And  those  of  Gibeah  have  fled  away, 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  *]J 

Daughter  of  Gallim  Jiave  wild  zveeping  made, 
LaisJi  have  shuddered  when  they  heard  the  cries, 
And  O  Poor  Anathoth  in  asJies  lies! 
Madmenah  is  removed,  and  Gebim  in  affright 
Have  gathered  themselves  for  a  sudden  flight — 
For  who  can  footsteps  of  dread  vengeance  stay — 
And,  Lo,  at  Nob  he  pitches  tents  to-day!" 

And,  Lo,  Jerusalem  fills  all  his  sight. 
The  Temple  blazing  on  Mount  Zion's  height — 
Lo,  as  he  gazes  on  that  hated  place 
The  blood  of  fury  rushes  to  his  face — 
His  hand  upraised,  and  shaken  in  his  wrath, 
Surely  his  anger  will  have  fearful  path ! 
Hill  of  Jerusalem,  and  Zion  mount, 
Shall  be  erased  so  that  a  child  can  count 
The  stones  remaining  of  the  cursed  spot — 
Men  shall  seek  for  it,  but  shall  find  it  not ! 

O  night.  The  Last  of  all  The  Gentile  Power, 
Behold  of  Wickedness  thou  art  The  Flower, 
The  culmination  of  Imperial  Sin, 
No  higher  mark  shall  ever  Evil  win ! 
Sin  all  unblushing  poured  upon  the  plains 
The  many  millions  of  the  army  trains. 
Hailed  every  passing  hour  with  music  strains, 
'Til  Earth's  afflictions  had  forgot  all  pains. 
An  outer  revelry,  nor  came  one  thought 
To  mar  the  madness  that  the  human  sought, 
Untrammeled  and  unrestricted  by  one  law 
The  dying  hours  of  Gentile  Times  but  saw 
The  maddest  revelry  all  Time  had  seen — 
Demons  and  men — and  hard  it  would  have  been 
To  tell  most  daring  Sinner  of  the  tw^ain — 
For  sin  was  now  Religion — Holy  Rite 
Not  in  a  corner,  but  in  blazing  light. 


7^  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

O  City  clustering  'round  Mount  Zion's  height 
What  are  thy  thoughts  as  pass  the  hours  this  night, 
Lo,  every  second  on  clock's  face  brings  nigh 
The  Death  from  whence  impossible  to  fly. 
Here  surely  Gentile  Host  shall  win  its  end 
Mid  all  Earth's  Nations  thou  hast  not  one  friend— 
The  Human  helpless — none  dare  favor  thee — 
Around  about  thee  grim  ferocity 
Destruction  and  oblivion  in  thy  path — 
No  earth  power  now  can  save  from  Caesar's  wrath- 
Eyes  brimmed  with  tears — or  eyes  of  grim  despair- 
Look  from  thy  towers  to  see  that  everywhere 
Hemmed  in,  and  trapped — as  birds  in  iron  cage — 
Death  throb  more  sweet  than  Caesar's  coming  rage- 
Lo,  every  breeze  do  on  their  soft  wings  bring 
The  hiss  of  hate— the  curse  of  suffering! 

And  so  shut  up  to  God — to  God  alone ! 
For  if  Jehovah  come  not  from  His  throne 
The  Jewish  Race  shall  only  be  a  name 
No  more  a  people — but  a  hiss  of  shame ! 

With  this  one  Hope— the  poor  accursed  Race, 
With  shambling  steps  now  crowd  the  Holy  Place, 
And  such  a  weeping  ne'er  was  heard  before — 
And  such  Earth  weeping  shall  be  heard  no  more — 
And  all  night  long  went  up  that  bitter  cry- 
But  from  the  Heavens  above  came  no  reply! 

Day !  are  you  breaking  without  single  cloud 
To  flick  the  azure  of  the  Syrian  sky. 
Behold,  thy  splendors  burst  on  that  vast  crowd 
That  e'er  the  even  tide  shall  surely  die. 
And  neath  the  feet  as  crumbling  ashes  lie ! 
Strange  day— no  stranger  breaketh  on  man's  sight- 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  79 

For  e'er  the  falling  shadows  of  the  night 

God  shall  His  work — ''His  strange  work,"  surely  do, 

Heaven,  Earth,  and  Hell,  shall  have  a  grand  review — 

The  like  shall  be  not  any  more  at  all ! 

And  at  the  evening,  when  the  shadows  fall, 

A  Blessed  Peace  shall  fall  upon  the  world ! 

Lo,  for  a  thousand  years  shall  battle  flags  be  furled — ■ 

Right  be  Triumphant — and  Wrong-Doing  dumb — 

Men  know  at  last — 

The  Prince  of  Peace  had  come  ! 

O,  Sun !  at  breaking  of  this  fatal  day 

You  looked  on  multitude — a  vast  array 

Of  men  and  demons  eager  for  the  fray ; 

On  poor  Jerusalem,  like  stag  at  bay ; 

Surrounded  as  by  wild  and  angry  sea 

Of  yelling  demons,  mad  humanity. 

Implacable  their  hatreds  surely  be, 

Like  barking  dogs  of  wild  ferocity 

They  circle  round  with  none  to  rescue  thee. 

Mouth  foaming  hounds  just  now  held  in  by  lash 

But  at  a  word — then  onward,  frantic  dash 

Upon  a  handful  of  despised  Jews ! 

Lo,  every  Nation  did  of  help  refuse — 

Each  Nation  held  them  an  accursed  Foe — 

O  Sun !  O  Sun !  hast  thou  e'er  looked  below 

On  such  a  concentration  of  dire  woe ! 

O  many  millions  of  a  varied  host ! 
The  very  air  vibrating  thy  wild  boast, 
Fresh  from  thy  drunken  slumber  open  eyes 
To  look  thy  last  upon  the  cloudless  skies ! 
For,  lo,  e'er  battle  cry  upon  thy  lips 
The  Heavens  around  shuddered  in  strange  eclipse 
From  North,  from  South,  from  East,  and  the  far  West, 
Behold  Fierce  birds  fly  on  a  strange  behest, 


8o 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST 


Fierce  Birds  of  Prey  crowd  all  the  upper  air ! 
Men  felt  the  blackness,  heard  the  sharp  shrill  cries  ; 
Wild  sweepings  of  strong  wings  are  everywhere 
And  like  to  storm  clouds  cover  all  the  skies. 

Surely  the  Human  staggered  at  the  sight— 
Their  spirits  shattered  in  a  chill  affright — 
And  every  heart  was  bent  upon  wild  flight 
Cowering  beneath  this  terrible  bird-night. 
To  rouse  the  drooping  spirits  in  men's  breast 
The  Demons  made  of  it  a  sorry  jest: 
"As  Gentile  lions  rend  it  zvith  their  teeth 
So  birds  of  prey  would  sup  on  Kosher  meat." 
And  so  the  demon's  lie  won  back  their  strength, 
Again  men's  hearts  set  on  the  wild  intent 
To  be  proud  Satan's  willing  instrument. 

And  then  to  ape  the  Blessed  Trinity, 
Lo,  to  the  human  sight — that  all  may  see — 
Satan — His  King,  and  the  False  Prophet  stood. 
Circling  around  them  were  as  mighty  flood 
The  Principalities  and  Powers  of  Evil  Thrones; 
Satan's  Great  Princes  and  High  Chiefs  from  zones 
Of  his  dominion — all  his  gathered  strength 
Marshaled  a  mighty  multitude  to  see 
And  round  the  King,  to  aid  his  mad  intent, 
Europe's  ten  Kings,  with  nobles  of  high  state. 
Princes  and  statesmen — highest  in  degree — 
Bending  before  him  on  the  servile  knee 
His  majesty  and  glory  to  inflate. 

And  still  was  Heaven  silent — not  one  sign 
Such  Blasphemy  was  heard  by  The  Divine! 
Nor  in  the  air  rang  any  voice,  nor  cry, 
Earth  seemed  to  be  forgotten  by  the  sky — 
To  Blasphemy  of  Hell  came  no  reply. 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  8l 

Jehovah  was  afar — not  surely  nigh — 
And  demons  to  the  Human  boasting  made 
That  Christ  was  dead — Jehovah  sore  afraid. 

A  vision  not  conceived  by  human  mind — 
Forces  of  Hell  and  Earth  now  stood  combined, 
Their  glory,  and  their  strength,  and  wrath  appeared 
To  brave  as  'twere  Jehovah  to  the  beard — 
To  challenge  The  Eternal  to  the  fight — 

Behold,  Jerusalem,  His  chosen  Place — 
Behold,  the  Jews,  surely  His  chosen  Race — 
Now  let  Him  rescue  them  if  He  may  dare ! 

Who  first  gave  sign  to  let  the  trumpets  blare — 
Was  it  the  King,  or  Satan,  gave  the  sign— 
For  rang  the  trumpet  call  from  line  to  Hne — 
And  as  one  angry  thunder  came  the  cries 
Shouts  of  defiance  to  the  silent  skies. 
Shout  of  Defiance  in  Jehovah's  face — 
"On  to  the  Death  of  the  accursed  Race!" 
The  circle  closes,  and  still  closer  pressed, 
Closer  and  closer — narrowed  the  steel  crest — 
With  voices  ringing  with  blaspheming  hate — 
Zion,  alas,  will  soon  be  desolate — 
And  not  a  single  Jew  to  mourn  her  fate. 

The  walls  have  crumbled  in  the  hands  of  hate — 
The  foe  is  marching  through  her  every  gate — 
And  yet  with  madness  all  supremely  grand 
The  Jew  has  met  them,  fighting  hand  to  hand, 
And  every  step  is  marked  by  blood  of  Jew, 
And  tho'  the  foolishness  of  such  they  knew 
Contention  and  destruction  marked  the  way 
Where  the  retreating  foot  held  foe  at  bay. 


82 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST 


Perchance,  to  watch  the  slaughter  of  the  Jews 
The  onward  sweeping  foeman  did  refuse 
The  use  of  powder — was  it  sword  and  spear — 
So  that  the  atmosphere  be  bright  and  clear 
That  Satan  and  Earth  chiefs  of  high  estate 
May  watch  poor  Israel  driven  to  her  fate, 
So  glut  their  eyes  on  misery  and  pain, 
As  they  had  counted  one  by  one  the  slain. 
For  all  unequaled  in  this  bitter  fight 
The  circling  foeman  ever  drawing  tight, 
And  smaller  still,  the  circle  of  grim  foes 
As  round  Mount  Zion  would  be  final  close. 
Not  all  were  slain — a  captive  was  the  prize 
More  precious  than  a  dead  man  to  their  eyes — 
Once  dead  the  Jew  was  free  of  suffering — 
Perchance,  rewards  were  offered  by  The  King 
For  victims  to  grace  future  revelry, 
Perchance,  the  thought,  victorious  host  should  see 
Torches  as  Nero  lit  in  long  ago. 
And  so  rejoice  in  Israel's  Final  woe. 
E'en  now  to  glut  the  fury  of  the  Beast, 
To  give  his  eyes  a  grim  and  welcome  feast, 
The  trembling  captives  led  before  his  eyes. 
Filling  the  air  with  bitterness  and  cries — 
For  not  a  hope  of  mercy,  but  torment 
Before  he  would  the  life  from  hand  relent. 
Naked,  and  maimed,  and  torn  from  their  fight 
Some  stood  there  bravely  and  not  with  affright 
Daring  the  victor  to  his  very  face — 
For  what  was  life  if  Zion's  holy  place 
Again  was  desecrated  by  his  feet — 
Nay  better  Death  should  follow  their  defeat. 
And  some  tho'  wounded,  maimed  and  racked  with  pain, 
Showed  by  their  daring  a  superb  disdain. 
For  yet  a  hope  was  lurking  in  the  brain 
,That  prophets  had  not  prophesied  in  vain — 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  S^ 

They  knew  the  word  of  God  could  not  be  broken. 
E'en  now  they  scanned  the  sky  for  some  glad  token 
That  God  had  not  forgotten  Israel's  Race — 
Had  not  forgotten  Zion  a  loved  place 
That  He  had  sworn  He  would  redeem  some  day ; 
And  surely  this  far  stretching  battle  fray 
Bespoke  of  ''Jacob's  Day  of  Trouble/'  Lo, 
Could  Human  mortals  suffer  direr  woe! 

But  still  a  silent  Heaven !  and  the  Jews 
Did  every  minute  point  of  vantage  lose, 
Tho'  deeds  heroic  thick  and  fast  were  shown 
Each  hindering  barrier  surely  overthrown, 
Sheer  force  of  numbers  steadily  that  drove 
Backward  the  Jew — in  vain,  in  vain  they  strove 
Against  the  billows  of  steel  crested  sea — 
Of  shouting  Demons  and  Humanity. 
The  ever  pressing,  steady,  forceful  flood 
Circling  around  them — 'til  at  last  there  stood 
A  dwindling  few  of  wide  world  hated  race, 
Around  Mount  Zion  and  the  Holy  Place ! 

And  still  a  silent  Heaven !  and  the  foes 
Who  from  near  distance  watch  that  fearful  close 
Waxed  loud  in  mighty  shoutings  and  wild  cries, 
Human  and  Demons  with  rejoicing  shout — 
Spake  all  their  malice  and  their  hatred  out 
Against  Jehovah  and  His  livid  Son. 
They  surely  now  a  victory  had  won 
And  richer  Blasphemy  than  ever  rung 
All  full  of  daring  pride — on  the  King's  tongue — 
Words  of  defiance  that  e'en  Satan  'bashed 
As  from  this  wild  beast  Kingf  the  challeno^e  flashed. 


'fe 


He  spat  upon  Jehovah  and  His  might ! 
Who  was  a  dastard  shrinking  from  the  fight ! 


84  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

And  when  he  ground  to  powder  Zion's  place, 
Nor  let  one  live  of  all  the  Jewish  Race, 
Then  would  he  scale  high  heaven  to  give  War 
To  the  accursed  Jehovah — now  a  far 
Shrinking  and  shivering  behind  cloudy  walls — 
For  this  great  gathering  of  the  Earth  appalls — 
Jehovah  knows  he  neareth  to  his  fall ! 
Yea,  verily  Jehovah  yet  shall  crawl 
An  abject  slave  in  homage  at  his  feet. 
Prepare  thee  now — Jehovah — come  and  meet 
The  Human — take  this  challenge  in  thy  teeth — 
Thou  art  a  craven,  and  thy  woman  Christ 
Afraid  to  meet  the  Human  in  grim  tryst. 

And,  Lo,  as  if  in  answer  to  this  cry 
The  light  of  sun  dropped  from  the  azure  sky, 
And  like  the  chilling  drop  of  funeral  pall 
A  darkness  to  be  felt  was  over  all — 
And  o'er  the  world  an  awesome  silence  fell, 
Silence,  and  darkness,  vast,  and  terrible. 
And  who  may  tell  how  many  moments  past — 
Demon  and  human  stricken  and  aghast. 

Then  suddenly  rang  out  a  triumphant  blast 
That  silenced  all  the  world — a  trumpet  tone 
That  never  from  the  human  lips  was  blown — 
That  shook  the  earth  from  very  pole  to  pole — 
And  all  who  heard  it  sickened  to  the  soul — 
The  listeners  lost  the  power  and  wish  of  speaking. 

Jehovah  now  His  silence  surely  breaking — 
Human  and  Demon's  Power  were  shattered  threads- 
The  trumpet  blast  loud  ringing  o'er  their  heads 
Shivered,  as  brittle  glass,  their  fiery  hate — 
Each  soul  knew  it  was  lost — each  desolate, 
Tho'  millions  pressing  upon  every  side — 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST  85 

All  thought  of  battle  ever  in  them  died. 

Satan,  His  King,  The  Prophet,  weak  and  spent 

Dazed  as  it  were  in  chill  astonishment. 

And  then  of  sudden  before  every  eye 
Stood  out  A  Man  against  the  darkened  sky ! 
A  Man,  as  if  embodiment  of  light, 
The  dazzling  splendor  stood  before  their  sight 
Exceeding  terrible,  a  living  blaze — 
And  all  that  looked  knew  that  before  their  gaze 
The  Christ!  once  crucified  on  Calvary! 

Dead  silence  still — they  could  but  look  and  see — 
Then  rang  His  voice — as  thunder  on  the  sea — 
That  all  the  living  and  the  dead  would  hear ! 
And  suddenly  to  Human  did  appear 
All  Glorious  Beings  from  beneath  their  feet, 
As  if  the  very  dust  had  blossoms  sweet 
Of  men  and  women  wondrously  clad, 
And  all  the  look  of  Christ  upon  them  had ! 
Radiantly  beautiful  up  from  the  grave  to  spring — 
Out  of  the  very  dust  were  blossoming 
A  mighty  host  of  beings  wondrous  fair, 
Lo,  quick  as  thought  fled  upward  in  the  air 
And  stood  behind,  in  one  vast,  grand  array. 
In  garments  whiter  than  the  light  of  day. 
Beings  of  beauty,  grand  of  limb  and  face. 
Behind  The  Nazarene,  they  took  their  place, 
A  host  uncountable  to  human  eyes. 

Then  suddenly  there  came  a  new  surprise — 
The  skies  seem  rent  with  shouting — and  there  came 
Out  of  the  distances — clad  as  ^f  in  flame — 
The  armies  of  Jehovah — all  the  horizon 
Had  one  great  sweep  of  flashing  glory  won — 
The  sky  was  full  of  Beings — Angel  Race 


86  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

Who  had  come  from  the  distant  worlds  in  space 
To  see  the  reign  of  Righteous  begun — 
The  Triumph  of  Jehovah's  Blessed  Son  ! 

And,  Lo,  That  Glorious  Solitary  One 
As  if  by  steps  moved  on,  and  still  moved  on, 
Above  the  heads  of  the  blanched  Rebel  Host — 
Upon  whose  tongues  had  frozen  jeer  and  boast. 
As  The  Two  Angels  promised  long  ago 
To  His  Disciples  in  their  parting  woe — 
Again  on  Olivet  The  Blessed  Feet! 
Quickly  responding  to  a  touch  so  sweet 
The  mountain  quivered — parted  wide  in  twain — 
And  in  the  opening,  lo,  a  valley  plain, 
And  so  with  Heaven,  and  Hell,  and  Earth,  to  view — 
Jehovah  His  strange  work  began  to  do. 
And  first  to  Israel  turned  His  human  face 
To  this  despised,  rejected,  and  cursed  Race, 
And  from  his  lips  there  fell  the  Words  of  Peace : 

"Come,    my   People!    enter    thy    chambers    here — 
Come,  ye  Beloved,  ye  have  naught  to  fear — 
As  'twere  a  little  moment  hide  thy  face — 
/  shut  the  door  to  this  your  hiding  place, 
Come,  O  my  People — {ye  are  mine  at  last) — 
Until  the  indignation  is  o'er  past!" 

And  Israel's  Race  could  plainly  see  before 
Their  eyes,  The  One  they  crucified  in  yore — 
Beheld  the  nail  print  in  uplifted  hand — 
And    on    His    brow   the    marks    where    thorns    had 

pressed — 
And  Faith,  and  Joy,  and  Welcome,  in  each  breast — 
So  quickly  did  they  answer  His  command. 
Up  from  the  dust  the  Captives  quickly  rose, 
All  quickly  from  their  pathway  fell  their  foes, 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  ^'J 

The  men,  the  women,  children,  gathered  now 
With  httle  words  of  joy — with  joy  Ht  brow — 
And  straightway — led  by  Risen  Saints — took  way 
To  where  the  new  born  valley  smiling  lay, 
And  entering  one  and  all,  of  every  age. 
Now  safe  for  ever  more  from  Gentile  rage 
Beneath  the  hand  of  their  Eternal  King! 
And,  lo,  behind  them  did  the  portals  ring — 
Shut  safely  in  the  bosom  of  the  earth. 

Then  turned  He  to  the  Nations  who  begirt 
His  Holy  Land — to  ruin  and  efface — 
Then  fell  the  plague  upon  the  upturned  face 
At  word  of  His — and,  lo,'On  tongues  and  eyes 
The  strange  and  wondrous  plague  upon  all  lies — 
The  wasting  of  the  tongue  within  the  mouth 
So  that  no  word,  nor  ever  more  a  shout 
Of  anger  or  defiance — and  the  eye 
Losing  the  power  to  see  things  far  or  nigh 
Wasting  away — from  this  strange  malady. 
A  silent  host  that  never  silence  broke — 
A  fading  sight — a  tongue  that  never  spoke — 
A  horror  of  great  agony  and  pain ! 
Gazing  in  terror  from  the  heights  and  plain. 
Aye,  on  each  beast  of  burden  that  stood  there 
That  fatal  plague  was  working  everywhere ; 
A  subtle  plague  that  floated  in  the  air 
That  blasted  milHons  as  with  fetid  breath, 
And  each  knew,  swiftly  coming  a  grim  Death. 
They  had  no  power  to  conquer  nor  to  stay, 
Their  very  flesh  was  wasting  from  their  bones 
Yet  never  cry,  nor  shout,  nor  any  moans. 
A  wasting  of  the  mighty  multitude 
As  on  their  feet  each  one  all  silent  stood 
And  one  and  all  with  the  swift  wasting  sight 
Turned  to  behold  The  One  on  mountain  height. 


88  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

Not  one  of  them  but  surely  had  been  warned — 
Not  one  of  them  but  who  His  mercy  scorned — 
Despised  Him,  and  rejecting  Him,  and  lay 
Their  petty  scorn  upon  Him  many  a  day — 
Mocked  His  salvation  freely  offered  all 
With  scorn  that  even  Demons  did  appall, 
Trampled  upon  the  Life  Blood  that  He  shed! 
And  willing  by  free  will  were  they  led 
To  a  conspiracy  to  thrust  Him  down 
From  His  high  place — to  take  His  Godhead's  crown 
To  deck  the  brows  of  Satan.    Now  He  stands 
Without  Peace  offering  within  His  hands. 
Surely  each  one  had  sinned  his  day  of  grace  away — 
And  with  a  willing  heart  joined  the  array 
Of  Demons  that  would  smite  Him  from  His  throne- 
So  then  the  crime  and  sinning  theirs  alone. 
They  saw  Christ  Victor — they  no  more  despise — 
His  form — the  last  thing  seen  by  wasted  eyes — 
So  they  must  bear  the  sins  they  would  not  place 
On  Him — Sin  Bearer  for  the  Human  Race — 
Now  theirs — Sin,  Ignominy,  and  dire  Disgrace. 

So  when  the  daylight  faded  from  their  face, 
Blinded — they  fell  a  groping  for  some  place 
Where  resting  may  be  found — and  pain  assuage — 
Then  suddenly  awoke  keen  anger  and  wild  rage — 
Each  one  a  fury  to  his  fellow  man — 
Blinded  they  staggered,  'gainst  each  other  ran — 
And  soon  confusion  dire  and  terrible, 
Powerless  indeed  the  human  tongue  to  tell 
Of  that  mad  carnage — fury  uncontrolled — 
Rank  after  rank  against  each  other  rolled 
Using  war  weapons  recklessly  and  wild. 
Lo,  in  the  hollows  soon  the  dead  were  piled, 
Trampling  on  them  the  blinded  living  fought 
As  each  possessed  but  with  one  single  thought 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  89 

To  fight  and  slay,  and  still,  to  fight  and  slay 

Whoever  came  a  near  them — none  may  stay 

The  fury  of  the  other — both  confined 

To  sense  of  hearing — none  could  foeman  see — 

'Twas  ghastly,  terrible,  grim  anarchy. 

The  valley  of  Jehoshaphat  ran  blood. 

Up  to  horse  bridle  was  the  gory  flood ; 

And  over  all  of  Palestine  as  foes 

The  many  millions  in  mad  fury  close, 

One  with  the  other  in  that  blinded  fray. 

So  smitten  by  them.selves  in  heaps  they  lay — 

And  so  the  Might  of  Europe  passed  away ! 

And  then  the  Demons  who  beheld  Christ's  power, 

Keen  that  their  doom  had  come  this  very  hour 

Helpless  and  cowered— and  fearful  every  one— 

Their  direst  pain  that  they  must  look  upon 

Their  Lord  and  Master— they  would  slink  away 

Like  rats  to  holes  in  terror  and  dismay. 

And  now  no  longer  to  disgrace  the  Earth— 
Nor  blight  it  ever  more  when  its  new  birth 
Would  glad  the  sight— and  that  hour  near  at  hand- 
Nor  should  they  more  pollute  sky,  sea,  and  land, 
But  held  in  bondage  to  the  Latter  Day ! 
The  Human  should  no  longer  be  their  prey, 
No  more  infest  the  world  with  their  hiss. 
They  should  be  driven  to  the  deep  abyss : 
And  so  the  Angels  from  the  Christly  face 
Swept  them  to  empty  hollows  of  their  place! 

The  Beast,  and  the  False  Prophet,  side  by  side, 
Looked  on  that  battle— that  fierce,  angry  tide 
Dashing  in  blinded  helplessness  and  rage. 
With  naught  their  ozvn  wild  terror  to  assuage — 
Groveling  as  very  zvorms  in  the  dust — 
The  multitudes  in  which  they  put  their  trust 


90  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

Like  cattle  driven  to  a  slaughter  place — 
But  not  of  pride,  nor  of  defeat's  disgrace 
That  tortured  them — they  were  as  melted  wax, 
Their  will,  their  daring,  all  their  powers  relax, 
And  so  as  weak  as  water — dire  suffering 
Shook  the  false  Prophet  and  the  dastard  King. 
More  terrible  than  all — The  Christly  gaze 
Piercing  the  soul,  bone,  marrow,  in  its  blaze, 
The  pure  contempt  upon  that  Glorious  Face — 
This  was  the  bitterness  of  their  disgrace. 
And  now  what  was  their  ending  and  their  fate, 
Surely  but  equal  to  their  once  grim  hate 
Better  to  flee,  to  hide  from  that  calm  eye 
In  deep  abyss,  so  terrible  a  nigh 
This  Christ  they  hated,  that  they  spit  upon. 
And  now  the  moment  of  their  fearful  doom 
No  sepulcher  on  earth — for  them  no  tomb — 
The  earth  would  vomit  them  from  burial  place, 
Not  suffer  in  its  bosom  such  disgrace. 

Lo,  in  the  limits  of  a  single  hour 
Vanished  their  glory,  grandeur,  and  vast  pov/er, 
An  hour  ago — so  mighty  to  look  on  — 
Now  seek  their  millions — not  a  living  one ! 
And  now  their  boasted  glory  all  was  past — 
And  Angel  hands  into  the  abyss  cast 
The  shuddering  twain — no  more  to  come  from  it — 
The  everlasting  burnings  of  the  pit. 
Then  Satan,  The  last  Rebel,  stood  alone. 
He  made  no  sign,  nor  cry,  nor  any  moan. 
He  had  beheld  his  vast  imperial  sway 
As  in  a  moment  crushed  and  swept  away, 
Torn  as  in  shreds  all  vestige  of  commands. 
He  knew  that  he  was  helpless  in  Christ's  hands, 
A  sullen  slave  with  an  unconquered  will — • 
^Within  his  spirit  Sin  was  rampant  still — 


THE  ANTI-CHRIST  QI 

And  caring  not  for  misery  he  wrought, 

Men's  suffering  never  troubled  him  one  thought, 

With  never  care,  nor  thought  of  a  repentance, 

He  knew  that  Hngered  yet  his  final  sentence. 

As  there  he  stood  where  he  met  Christly  eyes 

He  knew  his  final  bitterness  not  near, 

At  worst  confinement  for  a  thousand  years, 

And  this  far  hope  enlightened  his  dull  skies 

Making  a  thread  of  hope  in  his  great  fear — 

His  soul  in  bitterness  was  nigh  to  tears — 

Tho'  thought  of  a  defiance  yet  at  soul ; 

And  tho'  he  questioned  not  The  Christ's  control 

He  but  a  conquered  foeman  in  disgrace 

His  one  desire — to  see  not  Victor's  face — 

So  the  Arch  Angel  thrust  him  to  his  place. 

And  so  was  conquered  every  open  foe 
And  Christ  His  blessings  ready  to  bestow 
Upon  a  sin  cursed  world — with  upraised  hand 
Spoke  but  a  word,  and,  lo,  o'er  every  land 
Swept  cleansing  fires — so  making  a  new  world — 
The  works  of  man  were  to  destruction  hurled — 
And  as  a  school  boy  washes  from  his  slate 
The  many  figures  drawn  by  him  of  late 
Leaving  no  mark  to  tell  what  had  been  there, 
So  Christ  Jehovah  swept  sea,  land,  and  air. 
Of  their  old  foulness— caused  by  breath  of  sin — 
Making  all  sweet,  new  dwelling  place  for  men 
Without  the  olden  curse — and  everything 
That  brought  to  man  an  ache  or  suffering 
Evanished  utterly  from  off  the  earth ;  ^ 
And  surely  it  was  changed  in  this  new  birth 
And  continents,  and  lakes,  and  rivers,  changing  place. 
Then  by  His  word  upon  the  Earth's  new  face 
Sprang  up  of  tree,  and  shrub,  and  grass,  and  grain, 
On  mountain,  hill  and  valley,  and  broad  plain. 


92  THE  ANTI-CHRIST 

And  kine,  and  cattle,  and  the  beasts,  were  there — 
Lo,  everything  supremely  passing  fair! 

And  Palestine  expanding  far  and  wide, 
And  yet  old  sights  and  places  one  descried, 
Lo,  Zion's  mountain  broadened  top  and  base. 
Where  yet  should  blossom  the  great  Temple  Place. 
And  now  the  land  was  full  of  water  springs; 
Lo,  in  the  trees  and  bushes  joy  bird  sings ; 
And  fruit  stood  luscious  on  the  bending  tree ; 
And  grains  were  golden  waiting  hand  to  reap ; 
And  in  the  grass  great  herds  of  cattle,  sheep,  . 
Lo,  all  that  heart  of  man  could  wish,  in  sight 
And  over  all  the  sweet,  calm  evening  light 
The  World  was  lit  with  Glory  of  Christ's  face ! 

Then  Christ  swung  back  the  gates  of  hiding  place — 

Out  Israel  rushed  to  note  with  glad  surprise 
The  Glory  of  the  World — and  of  the  Skies — 
Then  every  face  and  eye  toward  Him  turned — 
In  their  new  hearts  great  thankfulness  now  burned — 
And  every' voice  in  mighty  gladness  cried: 

"Our  Lord,  Our  King,  Our  Saviour  Crucified!" 

And  so  as  Christ  took  up  the  Earthly  Crown 
A  Blessed  Peace  upon  the  World  came  down. 


END 


APPENDIX 

Far  be  it  from  me,  for  one  second,  to  declare  that 
I  have  covered  every  detail,  or  that  the  picture  I  have 
here  drawn  of  The  Anti-Christ  in  detail  is  correct.  I 
have  written  only  on  lines  that  I  think  The  Holy  Scrip- 
ture warrants.  I  have  not  wilfully,  nor  in  an  arbitrary 
manner,  tried  in  any  detail  to  wrest  aside  from  the 
proper  sphere  The  Written  Words.  I  have  tried  to 
present  some  of  the  undisputable  outlines  in  consecu- 
tive detail ;  and  I  hope  that  I  have  followed  Scripture 
in  the  bolder  aspects  of  this  Terrible  Being.  To  clothe 
the  skeleton  I  have  used  some  imagination,  and  if  I 
have  erred,  it  were  not  in  effrontery,  nor  despising,  of 
God's  Written  Word. 

But  if  one  study  The  Scriptures  and  glean  care- 
fully from  the  Old  Testament,  the  Gospels,  the  Epis- 
tles, and  the  Apocalypse  the  reader  will  be  surprised 
at  the  mass  of  detail  as  to  this  Being's  Biography — 
written  thousands  of  years  antecedent  to  his  future 
coming,  with  rather  minute  detail.  In  fact,  next  to 
The  Blessed  One — Christ  The  Eternal — the 
Scriptures  give  this  Being  the  next  most  prominent 
part  on  its  inspired  pages. 

As  to  time  of  his  birth  the  Scripture  would  lead  us 
to  infer  it  must  be  some  twenty  to  forty  years  before 
the  Jews,  partly  returned  to  Palestine,  make  the  cove- 
nant with  him  recorded  in  Daniel  g-2yth.. 

His  birthplace — from  Daniel  8-23d — one  may  say, 
it  will  be  in  one  of  the  four  divisions  of  Alexandrian 
Kingdom — some  think  from  certain  passages  Greece — 
others  Syria.    A  hint  of  base  birth  in  Daniel  ii-2ist. 

That  he  will  be  an  intellectual  person  one  may  de- 

93 


94  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

vise  from  Daniel  7-20th — Daniel  8-23d.  That  he  will 
be  crafty,  and  deceitful,  and  still  an  Advocate  of  Peace, 
Daniel  8-25th. 

The  first  sphere  of  his  usefulness  will  be  as  King  of 
Babylon,  Babylon  of  the  Chaldeans,  the  City  and  sur- 
roundings as  described  in  Isaiah  13,  in  Jeremiah  50 
and  51  Chapters,  also  the  same  City  of  Babylon  as 
recorded  in  Revelation  Chapter  18  (which  Chapter  18 
to  spiritualize  is  rank  foolishness),  so  that  the  City  of 
Babylon  mentioned  as  above  is  not  yet  Built. 

The  Prophecies  recorded  in  Jeremiah  50th  and  51st 
Chapters,  especially  Jeremiah  51 — verse  26th,  and  in 
Isaiah  i3-2oth,  have  not  been  fulfilled  in  the  long  de- 
layed and  lingering  Destruction  of  the  Ancient  City 
of  Babylon;  for  the  bricks  of  the  Ancient  Babylon 
have  been  used  for  the  building  of  Hilla,  which  has 
now  some  20,000  inhabitants ;  and  the  Arabs  do  pitch 
their  tents ;  and  from  that  ancient  City  Apostle  Peter 
sent  out  his  second  Epistle,  which  Higher  Critics  would 
rend  from  The  Bible. 

The  future  City  of  Babylon  will  be  at  least  Glorified 
in  Buildings  and  Wealth  by  Anti-Christ,  for  in  Isaiah 
io-5th  and  i4-25th  verse,  he  is  addressed  as  'The 
Assyrian."  Its  building  is  near,  for  Sir  Willcocks,  the 
greatest  of  English  Engineers,  who  built  the  Assouan 
Dam  in  Egypt,  thereby  multiplying  the  Egyptian  acre- 
age by  one  fourth,  has  been  hired  by  the  Turkish 
Government,  has  been  busy  for  years,  and  still  busy, 
in  Babylon  cleaning  out  the  old  Canals;  expecting  to 
make  the  Chaldean  Plain  the  Garden  of  The  World 
in  a  few  years.  So  one  may  readily  see  that  Isaiah 
XIV  not  yet  fulfilled,  where  the  final  Destiny  is  re- 
corded, as  also  in  Jeremiah  50  and  51  Chapters,  and 
Revelations  Chapter  18. 

That  He  will  be  C^sar  of  the  Old  Roman  Empire 
recorded  in  Daniel  7-24th.    That  He  will  subdue  three 


THE   ANTI-CHRIST  95 

Kingdoms,  Daniel  7-8th  and  24th,  Daniel  S-gth,  and 
Revelation  13. 

That  He  will  pose  as  protector  to  the  Jews  and  will 
make  a  covenant  of  seven  years  with  them,  Daniel 
g-2/th.  That  He  will  break  His  Covenant  with  them 
in  middle  of  that  time — that  He  will  take  away  the 
Jewish  Sacrifice,  Daniel  8-1  ith,  Daniel  g-2yth;  and 
be  their  enemy  recorded  in  many  passages  of 
Scripture. 

That  by  the  power  of  Satan  He  rules  the  old  Roman 
Empire,  declaring  himself  to  be  God,  Daniel  7-8th 
and  nth  and  25th,  Daniel  8-25th,  2d  Thessalonians 
Chapter  2-3d  to  loth  verse,  Revelations  Chapter  13. 

That  a  False  Prophet  shall  arise  to  cause  the  People 
to  \\'orship  and  pay  Divine  honors  to  the  x\nti-Christ, 
working  miracles,  bringing  down  fire  from  Heaven, 
causing  an  Image  to  speak,  etc..  Revelations  13-iith 
to  1 8th. 

That  in  the  City  of  Jerusalem  He  slays  the 
two  witnesses.  Revelation  ii-3d  to  12th;  that 
after  three  days  an  earthquake  destroys  part  of 
the  City,  Revelations  ii-i3th;  that  he  plants  his 
Tabernacles  between  the  Seas,  Daniel  ii-44th  and 
45th;  that  tidings  out  of  East  trouble  him,  Jeremiah 
5i-3ist,  Jeremiah  50-4ist,  42d,  43d,  44th,  Jeremiah 
5i-27th;  the  gathering  of  the  Asiatics  to  destroy  his 
City  of  Babylon. 

That  He  defies  Jehovah,  Isaiah  i4-i3th.  That 
Satan  sends  Demons  to  gather  the  People  to  battle 
with  Jehovah,  Revelations  16- 13th  and  14th.  That 
the  Beast,  and  Kings  with  their  armies,  dare  to  make 
war  on  Christ. 

That  they  shall  seek  to  destroy  Jerusalem;  His 
march  against  Jerusalem,  recorded  Isaiah  X-24  to 
32nd. 

That  when  Anti-Christ's  Army  takes  the  City, 
Zechariah  i4-2d,  "houses  rifled,  women  ravished,  half 


96  THE   ANTI-CHRIST 

the  citizens  taken  captive" — suddenly,  "The  Lord  goes 
forth  to  fight  these  Armies,"  Christ's  feet  stand  on 
the  Mount  of  Ohves — "the  Mount  of  OHves  cleaven 
in  the  midst  thereof  towards  East  and  West."  The 
Jews  rushing  in  the  new  made  valley,  Zechariah  14, 
Verse  5th,  Isaiah  26,  20th  verse. 

The  Christ  doing  "His  Work,  His  strange  work,"  as 
recorded  in  Zechariah  I4-I2th  and  13th  verses. 

Anti-Christ  crushed — refused  earthly  burial — cast 
alive  with  the  False  Prophet  to  Abyss,  Revelation 
i9-2oth,  Isaiah  i4-i9th  and  20th. 

Satan  bound  in  the  Pit  for  1000  years.  Revelation 
20-2d  and  3d. 

Israel  Rescued  and  forgiven,  Zechariah,  chapter  12 
and  14,  Isaiah  35. 

The  Nation  restored,  Isaiah  ii-ioth  to  i6th  verses, 
and  Isaiah  35,  loth  verse.  "And  the  ransomed  of 
The  Lord  shall  return  and  come  to  Zion  with  songs 
and  everlasting  Joy  upon  their  hearts;  they  shall  ob- 
tain Joy  and  Gladness,  and  Sorrow  and  Sighing  shall 
fiee  away,"  Isaiah  4-3d  to  6th,  inclusive. 

The  Earth  Renovated,  the  entire  chapter  of  Isaiah 
XI ;  and  other  passages  too  numerous  to  mention.  In 
fact,  the  Scriptures  are  crowded  with  passages  as  to  the 
Future  Glory  of  the  Earth — which  Christians  would 
do  well  to  take  heed  to — their  spiritualizing  such  pas- 
sages, to  say  the  least  of  such  folly,  is  dishonoring  to 
The  Common  Sense  of  God's  entire  Revelation  as 
record  in  The  Inspired  and  Holy  Scriptures — and 
"The  Scriptures  cannot  be  broken." 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 

AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED    FOR   FAILURE  TO   RETURN 
THIS    BOOK   ON    THE   DATE   DUE.    THE   PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  50  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY    AND    TO     $1.00    ON    THE    SEVENTH     DAY 
OVERDUE. 

FEB     1  1937 

rFB  3  19:7 

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LD  21-100m-8,'34 

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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


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